Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

The Transportation Security Administration has issued a notice announcing that on November 1, 2007 port workers, longshoremen, truckers and others at the port of Corpus Christi, Texas will begin to enroll in the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. (FR Pub 10/26/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-21112.pdf)

Port Security News reports that in test cases at the Los Angeles and Chicago international airports, Transportation Security Administration screeners failed 75% and 60% of the time, respectively, to find fake small bomb parts (some the size of pen caps) that were smuggled onboard airplanes. However, in San Francisco, where screeners work for a private company, the failure rate was 20%. (Port Security News, dated 10/22/07, available at http://portsecuritynews.com/news/templates/registered.asp?articleid=1790&zoneid=1)

China Economic Net reports that according to China's central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan, the market will play a bigger role in determining the exchange rate of the yuan. Xiaochuan further stated that the free convertibility of the yuan under capital accounts will be eventually realized, though no timetable has been set. (China Economic Net, dated 10/19/07, available at http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-10/19/content_6189018.htm)

On October 18, 2007, the President continued for one year the national emergency that was declared on October 21, 1995 by Executive Order (EO) 12978 with respect to significant narcotics traffickers centered in Colombia. (FR Pub 10/19/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-5222.pdf)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted to its Web site a Summary of theReport of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-CBP Joint Task Force on Improved Agriculture Inspection. The summary focuses on the key issues the CBP-APHIS task force identified and discusses the action plans it developed to better align and integrate APHIS and CBP functions, and to improve overall program delivery, so that the agricultural mission remains a strong component of the DHS mission.

American Shipper reports that in the largest show of criticism aimed at the Southern California harbor commissioners to date, nearly three dozen state and national trade groups have joined their collective voices to oppose a proposed container fee and a controversial truck regulation plan being proposed by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. (American Shipper, dated 10/10/07, www.americanshipper.com)

BusinessWeek reports that in order for fish shipments to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, importers simply have to show that five samples of fish are under the mercury limit, and can choose the actual fish for testing, which certain FDA scientists say enables importers to game the system. The FDA now has a list of 382 importers whose shipments are exempt from automatic detention. (BusinessWeek, dated 09/03/07, www.businessweek.com)

eTrucker reports that drivers representing the top Mexican trucking association parked their trucks on October 4th on the Mexican side of the Matamoros-Brownsville border to protest the cross-border trucking program. The drivers demanded equal treatment for Mexican and American truckers, claiming that American truckers get preferential treatment in Mexico, while Mexican truckers on the U.S. side of the border get tickets for no reason at all, etc. (eTrucker, dated 10/05/07, available at http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=63764)

Accountability Central reports that Europe's maritime industries and individual shipowners have swung behind European Commission opposition to U.S. 100% container scanning legislation. An open letter from industries representing the "European maritime cluster" said the American law requiring all U.S.-bound boxes to be scanned would be disastrous if it was ever applied. (AC, dated 09/28/07, available at http://www.accountability-central.com/single-view-default/single-view-lexis-nexis/article/europe-stands-firm-against-us-box-scans-joint-letter-to-the-eu-expresses-their-concerns/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&cHash=6d3048529c)