The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 24-30:
Federal Universal Service Fund
The FCC's Universal Service Fund (USF) was created by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to fund programs designed to provide universal telecommunications access to all U.S. citizens. All telecommunications providers are required to contribute a percentage of their end-user revenues to the Fund, which the FCC allocates for four core programs: 1. Connect America Fund, which subsidizes telecom providers for the increased costs of offering services to customers in rural and remote areas 2. Lifeline, which directly subsidizes low-income households to help pay for the cost of phone and internet service 3. Rural Health Care, which subsidizes health care providers to offer broadband telehealth services that can connect rural patients and providers with specialists located farther away 4. E-Rate, which subsidizes rural and low-income schools and libraries for internet and telecommunications costs The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) administers the USF on behalf of the FCC, but requires Congressional approval for its actions. Many states also operate their own universal service funds, which operate independently from the federal program.
Latest News on the Universal Service Fund
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 17-23:
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 10-16:
Hand tools imported by Irwin Industrial Tools are classifiable in the tariff schedule as either pliers or vises, not wrenches, the Court of International Trade said in an opinion issued April 12 (here). Ruling against CBP’s classification, the court held that the hand tools lack the qualities of a wrench even though they may be used to perform the task of a wrench. Instead, a physical examination showed that they are most similar to pliers and vises, CIT said, leaving it up to Irwin to argue which one.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 3-9:
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of March 27 - April 2:
The Court of International Trade ordered a former customs broker to pay the $30,000 maximum allowable penalty for broker violations of the customs regulations, in a decision issued March 29 (here). Paul Puentes, a Los Angeles-based broker whose license was revoked in 2012 for failure to file a triennial report and pay the associated fee (see 12120527), pocketed Merchandise Processing Fees from a client, failed to file entry summaries or filed them late, and misrepresented the importer of record on entries imported on his own behalf, CIT said.
Kits must include non-extruded aluminum components to qualify for the finished goods kit exemption from antidumping and countervailing duties on aluminum extrusions from China, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said March 28 (here) as it reversed a lower court decision. Reinstating a Commerce Department ruling issued in 2012 (see 12122601), the appeals court found refrigerator trim kits imported by Meridian Products are subject to AD/CV duties because they include only extruded aluminum parts and fasteners.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of March 20-26:
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of March 13-19: