President Signs FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill into Law
On March 11, 2009, President Obama signed into law H.R. 1105, the fiscal year 20091 omnibus appropriations bill, which is intended to "wrap up work" on the remaining FY 2009 appropriations bills2.
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(FY 2009 appropriations for DHS & CBP were enacted in 2008. See below for details.)
Highlights of the Trade-Related Aspects of H.R. 1105
H.R. 1105 and its Explanatory Statement contain numerous trade-related provisions, including (partial list):
Additional funding for CPSC, CPSIA requirements, etc.
Consideration of regulations for cribs, soft bedding
Screening for lead content at ports of entry
Funding prohibition for U.S.-Mexico cross-border trucking pilot
Increased funding to implement, enforce country of origin labeling (COOL)
Monitoring of apparel imports, focusing on China and Vietnam
Proactive trade enforcement activities, including textile safeguard actions
Specific funding for BIS export control/enforcement
Increased funding for FDA inspections, information systems, etc.
Congressional directions regarding Commerce Departments antidumping and countervailing efforts
Additional staff for investigative teams for China and India
Additional funding IPR enforcement
Congressional encouragement for FDA inspection of imported shrimp for banned antibiotics
Increased FDA efforts against mislabeling of seafood
Premises ID number for livestock import/export facilities
Additional APHIS investigators
Poultry imports from China
WTO negotiations on Byrd Amendment disbursements
Travel to Cuba for marketing agricultural, medical goods
(See text of H.R. 1105 and the Explanatory Statement for complete details on these and other trade-related provisions.)
1FY 2009 is from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009.
2H.R. 1105 includes appropriations for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Transportation, State, Labor, Justice, Energy, Interior; Food and Drug Administration; etc.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 03/11/09 news, 09031199 1, for previous BP summary on the Senate's passage of H.R. 1105.
See ITT's Online Archives or 03/03/09 news, 09030315, for BP summary on the House passage of H.R. 1105.
See ITT's Online Archives or 02/25/09 news, 09022510, for BP summary on the introduction of H.R. 1105.)
President's signing statement for H.R. 1105 (dated 03/11/09) available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-from-the-President-on-the-signing-of-HR-1105/.
Text of H.R. 1105 as passed by House and Senate available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h1105eh.txt.pdf.
Explanatory Statement available at http://www.rules.house.gov/111/LegText/111_omni2009_2.htm.
Teamsters statement praising the cross-border trucking pilot provisions of H.R. 1105 (dated 03/11/09) available at http://www.teamster.org/content/hoffa-praises-border-shutdown.
BP Note
On September 30, 2008, President Bush signed into law the "Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009" (Public Law 110-329) which already provides FY 2009 funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS, including CBP, TSA, etc.), Defense Department, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. P.L. 110-329 also contained a continuing resolution which provided funding for all other agencies until enactment of regular appropriations bills or until March 6, 2009, whichever occurred first. On March 6, 2009, President Obama signed into law H.J. Res. 38, a resolution continuing FY 2009 appropriations through March 11, 2009.