On March 19, 2009, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee ordered the nomination of former Washington governor Gary Locke as Commerce Secretary favorably reported. (Congressional Record, dated 03/19/09, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r111:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20090319).)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has made available through a recent Webinar1 a March 17, 2009 PowerPoint presentation containing updated information on the Lacey Act Amendments declaration requirement for imported plant and plant products.
On March 5, 2009, the House Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight held a hearing on "Putting People First: A Way Forward for the Homeland Security Workforce."
CBP Issues Sample Message Sets for Lacey Act Amendments Data (Phase II Enforcement Begins April 1st)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted examples of PGA CATAIR Chapter message sets using the HI, HN and EI applications, that CBP will accept for entries that contain the Lacey Act Amendments declaration data for imported plants and plant products.
The Port of Los Angeles states that continued weakened world economy and Chinese New Year observance factory closures contributed to a 32.56 percent decline in container traffic, year over year, for February at the Port of Los Angeles. Container volumes are down a total of 20.94 percent for the 2009 calendar year and 8.91 percent for the fiscal year, which began July 1, 2008. (News release, dated 03/12/09, available at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/newsroom/2009_releases/news_031309_econ_downturn.asp)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently issued a brochure highlighting its electronic permitting system, ePermits, that gives importers online access to various types of agricultural permits, including those needed for importation.
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.
On March 10, 2009, the Senate passed H.R. 1105, the fiscal year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. (Note that the House passed H.R. 1105 on February 25, 2009.) A statement from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Inouye is alsoavailable. (See ITT's Online Archives or 03/03/09 news, 09030315, for BP summary on the trade-related highlights of H.R. 1105 and its explanatory statement.) (Congressional Record, dated 03/10/09, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r111:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20090310); Senator Inouye's statement, dated 03/10/09, available at http://appropriations.senate.gov/News/2009_03_10_Chairman_Inouye_Statement_on_Senate_Passage_of_FY_2009_Omnibus_Legislation.pdf?CFID=1320119&CFTOKEN=91627017.)
Canada Border Services Agency has issued Customs Notice CN09-002 to inform importers about a change to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA's) wood packaging policy. Starting September 1, 2009, phytosanitary certificates from China for wood packaging material (WPM) will no longer be an accepted treatment certification method in Canada.
On February 25, 2009, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1105, the fiscal year 20091 omnibus appropriations bill, which is intended to "wrap up work" on the remaining FY 2009 appropriations bills2.