Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions
"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions" is a regular feature of International Trade Today. The following are brief summaries of recent Capitol Hill actions.
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FDA Tobacco Bill to be Considered by Senate Committee on May 19th
On May 19, 2009, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee has announced that it will meet in executive session regarding S. 982, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. (On April 12, 2009, the House passed its own version of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1256). The House-passed measure would give the Food and Drug Administration certain jurisdiction over tobacco products, provide for certain fees, etc. See ITT's Online Archives or 04/14/09 news, 09041410, for BP summary of the passage of H.R. 1256.)
CBP, DHS Testimony on WHTI Land and Sea Implementation Status
CBP has posted the joint statement of DHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Policy and CBP Office of Field Operations Assistant Commissioner before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism.
The joint statement discusses how CBP and DHS will implement the second phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which is both a statutory mandate and a 9/11 Commission recommendation.
CBP and DHS state that they are prepared to efficiently implement WHTI at all land and sea ports of entry on June 1, 2009. (The first phase of WHTI was implemented for air travel on January 23, 2007.) According to the statement, on May 29, 2009, CBP will establish the WHTI Operations Center at CBP Headquarters. This operations center will be staffed 24 by 7 to continuously monitor port operations before, during and after the June 1, 2009 implementation.
If it is determined that any of the above Congressional actions, hearings, or bills warrant more in-depth coverage, such information will be provided separately in a future issue of International Trade Today.