The Foreign Trade Zones Board has issued the following notices:
The Government Accountability Office has issued a report entitled “Southwest Border: More Timely Border Patrol Access and Training Could Improve Security Operations and Natural Resource Protection on Federal Lands." In its report, GAO recommends that steps be taken to help the Border Patrol expedite access to portions of federal lands by more quickly initiating required assessments.
The Congressional Research Service has issued a report entitled “The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.” (CFIUS).
The Justice Department has posted the October 18, 2010 remarks of Attorney General Eric Holder at the International Intellectual Property Summit in Hong Kong. He stated that protecting intellectual property is a top priority for the U.S. as its consequences are devastating. Holder notes that IP criminals aren’t just selling counterfeit clothing or electronics. They’re selling dangerous imitations of critical components, like brake pads, or everyday consumer goods, like toothpaste. He adds that enforcement is only as strong as its weakest link and not every country has done enough.
The Departments of Justice, Commerce and State, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a joint statment on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Working Group on Bribery's commendation on U.S. enforcement efforts and high-level support for the fight against the bribery of foreign officials.
The Foreign Agricultural Service has issued a Global Agricultural Information Network report on Mexico’s revised labeling requirements for pre-packaged food and non-alcoholic beverages (NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010).
The Department of Energy is granting an amended nationwide limited waiver of the Buy American requirements of section 1605 of the Recovery Act under the authority of Section 1605(b)(1) (amended public interest waiver), with respect to certain domestically and foreign manufactured solar photo-voltaic equipment. According to DoE, the waiver expires February 6, 2011 (six months from the date of the original waiver issuance).
The American Apparel and Footwear Association has joined with other apparel and retail associations in sending a letter to the Australian Wool Exchange urging that all wool growers complete a National Wool Declaration stating if the wool they are selling is either mulesed or non-mulesed.
Transportation Secretary LaHood has announced that 42 capital construction projects and 33 planning projects in 40 states will share nearly $600 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER II program for major infrastructure projects ranging from highways and bridges to transit, rail and ports.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced the availability of a draft Policy for the Assessment of Civil Administrative Penalties and Permit Sanctions for public review and comment. The draft Penalty Policy is intended to provide guidance for the Assessment of civil administrative penalties and permit sanctions under the statutes and regulations enforced by NOAA.