In an article about the recent shutdown of the ACE Release 4 Truck Manifest pilot in Blaine, WA, The Journal of Commerce reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is optimistic that the shutdown is "temporary" (i.e., weeks, not months) and that programmers are already at work fixing the problems. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/05/05 news, 05010505, for BP summary on the shutdown.)
Wireless Spectrum Auctions
The FCC manages and licenses the electromagnetic spectrum used by wireless, broadcast, satellite and other telecommunications services for government and commercial users. This activity includes organizing specific telecommunications modes to only use specific frequencies and maintaining the licensing systems for each frequency such that communications services and devices using different bands receive as little interference as possible.
What are spectrum auctions?
The FCC will periodically hold auctions of unused or newly available spectrum frequencies, in which potential licensees can bid to acquire the rights to use a specific frequency for a specific purpose. As an example, over the last few years the U.S. government has conducted periodic auctions of different GHz bands to support the growth of 5G services.
Latest spectrum auction news
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a notice on its Web site announcing that the next Customs Broker License Examination will be held on Monday, April 4, 2005.
The Journal of Commerce Online reports that Representative Millender-McDonald has introduced legislation that would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a shipment profiling plan for imported loaded and empty containers, inspection of merchandise at foreign ports and issue final rules for biometric identification cards for seaport employees. The article notes that Representative Millender-McDonald introduced a virtually identical bill in October 2003 that died in committee at the end of the 108th Congress. (JoC Online dated 01/10/05, www.joc.com.)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a 2004 year end review fact sheet which highlights accomplishments and statistics for various DHS agencies including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Transportation and Security Administration (TSA), etc. (DHS fact sheet, available at )
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an ABI administrative message informing all filers that any data input into the Importer of Record database (SRE file), on or after December 20, 2004, that is identified as being input as a knowingly invalid record will result in a broker penalty under 19 USC 1641(d) for egregious violation. CBP states that additionally, upon discovery of such false records, CBP personnel will immediately void the identified records to impede any future transactions.
The State Department has issued a public notice announcing various upcoming meetings of the International Telecommunication Advisory Committee (ITAC) to prepare for the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG) Meeting and ITU-T Study Groups 3, 4, and 17 meetings. According to the notice, ITAC will meet with an agenda for preparations for an upcoming ITU-T TSAG meeting on: January 19, February 2, February 16 (teleconference) and March 2, 2005.
The Journal of Commerce Online reports that on November 30, 2004, Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, sent his letter of resignation to President Bush. The article states that Ridge expressed his desire to continue to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security until February 1, 2005 or until the Senate confirms his successor. (JoC Online dated 11/30/04, www.joc.com.)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a news release announcing that Taiwan has agreed in principle to resume imports of U.S. beef and beef products. The news release states that Taiwan officials indicated that the required assessments and evaluations for trade to resume were nearing completion. (USDA news release no. 0468.04, dated 10/26/04, available at http://www.usda.gov/documents/NewsReleases/2004/10/0468.doc.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a notice regarding the misuse of licenses and filer codes that was previously issued on October 6, 2004 as an ABI administrative message. (See ITT's Online Archives or 10/08/04 news, 04100805, for BP summary of CBP's ABI administrative message on this issue.)(CBP notice available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/import/broker_management/misuse_licences.ctt/misuse_licences.doc.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an ABI administrative message stating that it issues Customs broker licenses to persons (i.e., individuals, partnerships, associations, and corporations) who have successfully satisfied the regulatory and statutory requirements.