The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a proposed rule that would amend 49 CFR Parts 1540, 1542, 1544, 1546, and 1548 regarding the security of air cargo transportation. Written comments on this proposed rule are due by January 10, 2005.
The Washington Post reports that Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman have submitted their resignations to President Bush. According to the articles, President Bush is expected to nominate Condoleeza Rice, his national security adviser, to replace Colin Powell as Secretary of State.
During the September 10, 2004 meeting of the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC), the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) Implementation Subcommittee1 outlined its recommendations regarding the MTSA requirement that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) establish " a program to evaluate and certify secure systems of international intermodal transportation."
On November 9, 2004, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a press release updating its emergency interim measures at certain U.S. land border ports in response to the detection and confirmation of the adult Mediterranean Fruit Fly (ceratitis capiata, Medfly) in the municipality of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
New contracts for military communications systems, including satellite links, were received by DRS Technologies, the company said. The contracts are valued at $11.7 million and include links to be established on ship-, land- and air-based platforms, it said.
The rollout of Gemstar-TV Guide International’s interactive program guide (IPG) in CE products has been “slower than we anticipated,” despite the company’s signing of licensing agreements with the top 20 CE manufacturers, Gemstar said in an SEC filing. Among the last holdouts was Hitachi, which signed on in Sept., but the long lead times for building the IPG into products have been barrier to rapid expansion of the guide.
CNN has reported that Attorney General John Ashcroft and Commerce Secretary Don Evans have both submitted resignation letters to the President. According to CNN, Ashcroft's resignation will become effective when a successor is named and confirmed, while Evans is expected to remain Commerce Secretary into January 2005. Shipper's NewsWire has also reported that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Tom Ridge is likely to resign. (CNN Pub 11/10/04, www.cnn.com and Shipper's NewsWire Pub 11/10/04, www.americanshipper.com)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has amended and shortened its interim guidance for trade partners on the entry and release of imported food products that are subject to Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) prior notice (PN) requirements that were implemented on December 12, 2003, pursuant to the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (Bioterrorism Act or BTA).
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notice announcing PNSI Version 1.5, which is scheduled for release on November 6, 2004.
Sen. Kerry (D-Mass.) leads Pres. Bush 55-40% among likely voters 18-29, according to a poll of people that use mobile phones as a replacement for wireline, said polling firm Zogby International. The poll, done with youth voter group Rock the Vote, is Zogby International’s first political poll conducted exclusively on users of mobile phones. The survey is a response to critics who have criticized polling firms for overlooking the mobile- only demographic, which is younger and more urban (CD Oct 25 p7).