The Consumer Product Safety Commission has posted the documents on baby walkers that it will consider during its May 19, 2010 open Commission meeting. These include a draft final rule, for mandatory baby walker standards revocation of the ban of certain baby walkers, a Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, and third-party lab accreditation requirements for baby walkers.
The State Department, World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently issued the following travel warnings, travel alerts, country specific information sheets, and disease outbreak-related information:
The House Ways and Means Committee’s Trade Subcommittee has issued a press release announcing that it will be holding a hearing on May 20, 2010 to review customs operations administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that it will vote on publication of a final rule on infant bath seats and discuss a draft final rule on baby walkers during its May 19, 2010 open commission meeting.
On May 13, 2010, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Alan Bersin as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions" is a daily International Trade Today compilation of the most relevant legislation, hearings, and actions by Congress involving international trade. The following are brief summaries of recent Capitol Hill actions:
The European Council has agreed on a draft directive which would require that experiments with animals be replaced, wherever possible, by an alternative method which is scientifically satisfactory; the number of animals used in projects be reduced to a minimum; and the degree of pain and suffering caused to animals be limited to the minimum. (Press release, dated 05/11/10, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=PRES/10/105&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en)
The European Commission has adopted a recommendation to introduce an EU-wide method for classifying and reporting consumer complaints. A new method is needed as there are more than 700 organizations handling consumer complaints in Europe, but they use different classifications, making comparison difficult. Implementation will be discussed at a May 27 conference. (Press release, dated 05/12/10, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/567&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en)
The European Chemicals Agency is seeking information on the uses and releases of two substances of very high concern - 2,4-dinitrotoluene and lead chromate - which are currently on the European Union’s REACHCandidate List.1
On May 12, 2010, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on Iran Sanctions: Why Does the U.S. Government do Business with Companies that Invest in Iran.