Staff Report on U.S. Port Congestion Released
Federal Maritime Commissinn / http://www.fmc.gov/NR15-11/
At its June meeting, the Federal Maritime Commission voted to release a staff report entitled U.S. Container Port Congestion & Related International Supply Chain Issues: Causes, Consequences & Challenges.
The report organizes and further develops stakeholder discussion around six major themes that emerged at the 2014 FMC Port Forums held at major gateway ports – investment and planning; chassis availability and related issues; vessel and terminal operations; port drayage and truck turn-time; extended gate hours, PierPASS and congestion pricing; and collaboration and communication.
These forums provided a unique opportunity for industry stakeholders to gather around the country to share their views on the causes, consequences and challenges surrounding congestion at ports and other parts of the intermodal system, as well as share ideas for possible solutions. The report addresses current and anticipated future challenges caused by congestion at U.S. port gateways, and comments on the causes and effects of congestion with the objective of facilitating further discussion on potential solutions.
Chairman Cordero stated: "International trade relies on our nation’s ports, therefore port congestion is a paramount question at the international supply chain level, and is not a solely domestic concern. In July 2014, President Obama moved the Build America Investment initiative forward. Inclusive in the initiative was the need for investment in our ports. In line with the Administration, the Commission is committed to addressing the question of congestion at our vital port gateways. Infrastructure investment is at the core of the discussion, however, other factors must be addressed in the near term to ensure an efficient and reliable international ocean transportation system and the relevant supply chain."
USITC Begins Investigation Concerning Possible Modifications to the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences and Competitive Need Limitation Waivers
U.S. International Trade Commission / http://www.usitc.gov/
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is seeking input for a newly initiated investigation concerning possible modifications to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
The investigation, Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2014 Review, was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will provide advice on the likely impact on competing U.S. industries of competitive need limitation waivers specified in section 503(c)(2)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974 for two Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) subheadings for Thailand. "Competitive need limits" represent the maximum import level of a product that is eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP. Once the limit is reached, trade is considered "competitive," benefits are no longer needed, and imports of the article become ineligible for GSP treatment, unless a waiver is granted.
The HTS subheadings being considered for competitive need limitation waivers are: 2008.19.15 (coconuts, otherwise prepared or preserved, nesoi) from Thailand and 7408.29.10 (copper alloys (o/than brass, cupro-nickel or nickel-silver), wire, coated or plated with metal) from Thailand. The USITC will also provide advice with respect to whether like or directly competitive products were being produced in the United States on January 1, 1995, and the probable economic effect on total U.S. imports, as well as on consumers, of the requested waivers. The USITC will provide the requested data separately and individually for each U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading subject to this request.
The USITC also will provide data on the addition of five HTS subheadings for least-developed developing beneficiary countries (LDDBC); the data will include U.S. production, imports, exports, and consumption figures for five cotton articles for the period 2012-2014.
The HTS subheadings being considered are: 5201.00.18 (cotton, not carded or combed, having a staple length under 28.575 mm (1-1/8 inches), n/harsh or rough, nesoi); 5201.00.28 (cotton not carded or combed, harsh or rough, staple length of 29.36875 mm or more but under 34.925 mm & white in color, nesoi); 5201.00.38 (cotton, not carded or combed, staple length of 28.575 mm or more but under 34.925 mm, nesoi); 5202.99.30 (cotton card strips made from cotton waste having staple length under 30.1625 mm & lap, sliver & roving waste, nesoi); and 5203.00.30 (cotton fibers, carded or combed, of cotton fiber processed, but not spun, nesoi).
The USITC will submit its confidential report to USTR by August 28, 2015. As soon as possible thereafter, as requested by the USTR, the USITC will issue a public version of the report containing only the unclassified sections, with any business confidential information and classified information deleted.
The USITC is seeking input for its new investigation from all interested parties and requests that the information focus on the articles for which the USITC is requested to provide information and advice. The USITC welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary to the Commission at 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436 and should be submitted at the earliest practical date but no later than 5:15 p.m. on July 30, 2015.
USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.
USTIC: News Releases and New Documents
The bladders of this endangered fish sell for over $14K in Asia
AGUADILLA, Puerto Rico - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) field operations officers seized 1328 pounds (602 kilos) of Totoaba fish bladders inside 9 courier parcels delivered from Venezuela, destined to Hong Kong.
During a routine inspection of parcels at the Rafael Hernández International Airport a parcel manifested as "organic plastic samples” was selected for non-intrusive inspection. The inspection revealed what appeared to be animal matter and not plastic samples as manifested. For that matter shipment was placed on hold to perform further examination.
The inspection performed indicated that goods detained appeared to be Totoaba fish bladders.
“Smuggling of endangered species is a serious crime for which our officers remain vigilant,” stated Marcelino Borges, Director of Field Operations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) inspector arrived on site accompanied by U.S. Department of Commerce National Marine Fisheries Service/NOAA special agent whom inspected the goods indicated that goods were in violation to the Lacey Act and were falsely manifested and would be seized.
A total of 9 parcels were found to have the endangered fish remains. The parcels were seized and turned over to NOAA for final disposition.
The Totoaba fish is an endangered species thus protected and regulated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
According to various news outlets the Totoaba fish bladder sells between $7,000 and $14,000 in Asia, and soup prepared with this fish can sell for $25,000 in China. Furthermore, the international organization, Greenpeace, has identified that poaching of totoaba is also helping drive the extinction of a rare marine mammal, the vaquita, which has a tendency to get stuck in gillnets set for totoaba.
CBP Officers in Jacksonville Seize alpha-PVP a.k.a. “Flakka”
U.S. Customs & Border Protection / http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/2015-07-16-000000/cbp-officers-jacksonville-seize-alpha-pvp-aka-%E2%80%9Cflakka
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operation (OFO) officers at the courier mail facility in Jacksonville, Florida seized nearly two kilograms of alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (alpha-PVP) discovered in a package arriving from China. The package was seized on Monday July 13th. The drug is more commonly known as “gravel” or “flakka”.
CBP officers found the package to be suspicious and selected it for further inspection. A total of approximately 1.99 kilograms was seized and all evidence was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Flakka is typically sold as powder or crystals and can be administered by snorting, swallowing in pill form, injection, or smoking. Use with electronic cigarettes is increasing. The appeal to recreational users is that flakka is easily accessible and can go undetected in routine drug testing. Flakka affects the user in a variety of ways, ranging from an elevated heart rate and mild anxiety, to paranoia and psychosis. Persons under the influence of flakka generally report a feeling of euphoria, but have been known to become aggressive and combative. Flakka is also highly addictive, as users report the desire to binge, especially when vaporizing the drug.
“Flakka is an extremely dangerous drug and we are very proud of our CBP officers for intercepting this package and keeping this drug off the street,” said Jacksonville Port Director Douglas Straatsma.
Statement on Mozambique’s Destruction of Ivory and Rhino Horn
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service / http://www.fws.gov
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) commends Mozambique for taking a public stand against illegal wildlife trade this week by destroying 2.4 tons of elephant ivory and 86 pieces of rhino horn weighing more than 420 pounds. We are hopeful this signifies a renewed commitment to combat poaching and wildlife trafficking. Mozambique represents the tenth country to engage in destruction of confiscated illegal ivory since the Service held its first ivory crush in November 2013.
Rampant poaching is taking its toll within Mozambique and on neighboring countries. Mozambique has lost 48 percent of its elephants in just the past five years. Recent surveys revealed there are only 10,300 elephants left in the country. To the west of Mozambique, rhino poaching in South Africa skyrocketed from seven rhinos poached in 2000 to 1,215 rhinos poached in 2014. Poaching also affects the rangers who put their lives on the line to defend these animals.
Mozambique has experienced a number of significant thefts of seized ivory and rhino horn, and we recognize the intended merit of destroying this stockpile not only to signal how seriously Mozambique is taking this issue but also to prevent any potential re-entry of these confiscated items into illegal trade.
Although this is a commendable action, we are concerned by reports that the rhino horn destroyed by Mozambique may have been from cases still under investigation and could have provided valuable forensic evidence. In addition, it’s unclear whether Mozambique followed standard investigative and prosecutorial procedures recommended by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) for dealing with seized rhinoceros horn.
The Government of Mozambique’s decision to publicly destroy their confiscated ivory and rhino horn should help send a clear message that poaching and wildlife trafficking will no longer be tolerated.
Chairmen Royce, McCaul to President on Iran Deal: UN Security Council Should Wait Until Congressional Review is Complete
House Committee on Foreign Affairs / http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/chairmen-royce-mccaul-president-iran-deal-un-security-council-should-wait-until
Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, sent a letter to President Barack Obama regarding the recently announced Iran nuclear agreement.
In the letter, the two Chairmen urge the President to delay any United Nations Security Council action on Iran, including a significant weakening of the UN arms embargo on ballistic missiles and conventional weapons, until after Congress has had time to fully review the agreement and take any action as part of the 60-day review period allowed by the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, which the President signed into law this year.
In the letter, Royce and McCaul wrote: “It is distressing that your Administration would afford Russia and China the opportunity to vote on the final agreement before the American people’s representatives do….[I]t would be entirely inappropriate and divisive for your Administration to vote to lift UN-backed sanctions should Congress reject the final agreement and override a presidential veto to that effect.”
A copy of the signed letter is available HERE.
The text of the letter follows:
Mr. President:
Now that the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Germany (the “P5+1”) and Iran have reached an agreement on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, we write to urge you to delay any action by the United Nations Security Council to approve of the deal – including a significant weakening of the U.N. arms embargos on ballistic missiles and conventional weapons – until the Congressional review is complete. Simply, the United States Congress should be given the opportunity to consider the final text of this hugely consequential agreement before action at the United Nations.
Any U.S.-supported effort to lift UN sanctions before Congress has weighed-in on the terms of the agreement would undermine our oversight responsibilities and violate the spirit of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, which you signed into law. It is distressing that your Administration would afford Russia and China the opportunity to vote on the final agreement before the American people’s representatives do. The full 60 day review period and parliamentary procedures prescribed by the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act should be allowed to play out before action at the Security Council.
Moreover, while we understand that you intend to veto any joint resolution of disapproval that Congress may send to your desk, it would be entirely inappropriate and divisive for your Administration to vote to lift UN-backed sanctions should Congress reject the final agreement and override a presidential veto to that effect.
As you have said before, “our democracy is stronger when the President and the people's representatives stand together.” While it remains to be seen whether Congress ultimately agrees with you on the merits of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, both branches of government did stand together and agree that Congress should review this agreement before its implementation.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. We look forward to your prompt response