USITC Releases Eighth Annual Report on Textile and Apparel Imports from China - U.S. International Trade Commission
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today (6/12/17) released its annual compilation of reports published every two weeks on textile and apparel imports from China.
The report, Textile and Apparel Imports from China: Statistical Reports, Annual Compilation 2016, was requested by the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Ways and Means.
As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, produced an annual compilation of data that has been posted on a bi-weekly basis on the USITC website. The data in the report are shown on an annual and quarterly basis, by category and by Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) 10-digit subheadings.
By category, annual data are provided from 2010 through 2016, and quarterly data are provided from first quarter 2015 through fourth quarter 2016. By HTS10 subheading, annual data are provided from 2014 through 2016, and quarterly data are provided from first quarter 2015 through fourth quarter 2016.
The report also will be available on the USITC Internet site in Excel and PDF formats at http://www.usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/What_We_Are_Working_On.htm (scroll down to the bottom of the page). A DVD of the report may be requested by email at pubrequest@usitc.gov, by calling 202-205-2000, or by writing the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.
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.
CBP Intercepts Highly-Destructive Pest - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
Beetle thrives on grains, seeds can live 6 years in dormant state
HOUSTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists working at George Bush Intercontinental Airport discovered several dead Khapra Beetle cast skins and a live beetle larvae from the Coleoptera species in items a traveler was bringing into the U.S.
A CBP agriculture specialist referred the traveler who was arriving from Sudan for a baggage exam. During the exam, CBP agriculture specialists discovered the cast skins and the live larvae among hibiscus and chickpeas. CBP agriculture specialists seized the items and forwarded the recovered specimens to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for confirmation. The USDA national identifier confirmed the specimens to be Trogoderma granarium E., and Coleoptera on June 8.
“Our CBP agriculture specialists are experts in their profession,” said CBP Port Director Charles G. Perez. “Their ability to locate larvae that is less than 6mm in length is remarkable and illustrates their commitment to protecting Texas agriculture from pests like the Khapra Beetle.”
The Khapra Beetle, considered to be one of the world's most destructive pests of grain products and seeds, is a federal quarantine pest that is not known to occur in the United States. The Khapra Beetle has an insatiable appetite, can tolerate colder climates and can live in a dormant state for up to six years. The Khapra Beetle is resilient and difficult to control because of its ability to tolerate insecticides and fumigants, and if established in the United States would potentially cost millions to eradicate.
Since October 2016, the Houston Field Office has recorded 27 Khapra Beetle interceptions and ranks second after Chicago among Khapra Beetle interceptions nationwide. On a typical day in fiscal year 2016, CBP agriculture specialists discovered 404 pests at U.S. ports of entry and 4,638 materials for quarantine: plant, meat, animal byproduct, and soil.
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. - FDA is Taking New Steps to Help Access Opiods Drugs with Abuse-Deterrent Properties - Foof & Drug Administration
Last month, I asked my colleagues at the FDA to identify what additional and more forceful steps the FDA can take, on top of the vigorous work the agency is already doing, to address the crisis of opioid addiction. Everyone at the FDA is committed to focusing on all aspects of the epidemic. The new policy steps that we announced included the formation of a steering committee to examine additional regulatory and policy actions that we can take to combat this crisis. This steering committee will place particular emphasis on evaluating efforts we can take to reduce the number of new cases of addiction.
The FDA is committed to looking at all facets of this complex issue and collaborating on various approaches, as there are no simple answers to reverse this epidemic. In my prior communication, I noted that one of these approaches would be asking the public, through various forums, to share additional steps and information that the FDA should consider in addressing these challenges. Today, we are announcing a public meeting that seeks a discussion on a central question related to opioid medications with abuse-deterrent properties: do we have the right information to determine whether these products are having their intended impact on limiting abuse and helping to curb the epidemic?
These products – opioid formulations with properties designed to deter abuse – are each intended to deter abuse by particular routes (like snorting or injecting), depending on the drug. For example, some make crushing or manipulating the tablet to dissolve in liquid for injection more challenging; others combine the active opioid analgesic ingredient with drugs such as naloxone, which if snorted or injected will block the high of the opioid. This has been an important area of innovation that the FDA continues to support. However, we recognize that there is a gap in our understanding of whether these products result in a real-world, meaningful decrease in the frequency and patterns of opioid misuse and abuse.
To address this need, after approval, we have required companies marketing these products to conduct studies in a way that will provide the most meaningful data possible to address this issue. But these studies are challenging to conduct, and we need the most reliable data we can get to make the best regulatory decisions. Therefore, we are taking steps to get the answers we need to inform our approach.
At the meeting, which will be held July 10-11, we will engage external thought leaders in a discussion about how we can better leverage existing data sources and methods to evaluate the impact of these products in the real world, as well as what new data sources and study designs could be developed or enhanced to ensure these efforts result in the best possible answers to inform regulatory decision-making. To make this discussion as productive as possible, we have made public an issues paper outlining some of the existing regulatory and public health challenges we face.
Opioid formulations with properties designed to deter abuse are not abuse-proof or addiction-proof. These drugs can still be abused, particularly orally, and their use can still lead to new addiction. Nonetheless, these new formulations may hold promise as one part of a broad effort to reduce the rates of misuse and abuse. One thing is clear: we need better scientific information to understand how to optimize our assessment of abuse deterrent formulations; and I look forward to a productive discussion on how to best tackle this challenge.
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, promotes and protects the public health by, among other things, assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
CBP and TSA Intercept Crystal Meth Smugglers at LAX - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
LOS ANGELES — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) seized 4.46 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, concealed in the undergarment and also hidden within the carry-on baggage of two passengers on Sunday. The estimated value of the seized contraband is $27,000.
“This outbound interception demonstrates CBP's keen expertise, vigilance and commitment in keeping illicit narcotics off the streets, said Carlos C. Martel, Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. “Crystal methamphetamine, which is highly addictive and causes irreversible damage to the body, continues to be a popular choice for smugglers.”
“The men and women of TSA aren't actively searching for illegal drugs in our routine screening of passenger belongings, but when these illegal items are identified, we rely on our local and federal law enforcement partners to take action,” Keith Jeffries, TSA LAX federal security director.
A French citizen was intercepted as he attempted to pass through a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint with 3.78 pounds of crystal methamphetamine. Planning to transport the narcotics back to his home in French Polynesia, he was found to have concealed two tightly wrapped packages within his groin and upper thigh region.
Additional members of the group the smuggler was traveling with were identified and offloaded from their outbound flight by CBP officers. They were escorted to the CBP inspection area at the Tom Bradley International Terminal for additional inspections.
During the subsequent baggage examinations, two more members of the group were found to have crystal methamphetamine concealed within their hand carry bags. A pat down search on one of the female passengers revealed an additional methamphetamine package concealed in the lining of her undergarment. A total of 4.46 pounds of crystal methamphetamine were seized from the additional two smugglers.
All three passengers were arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, along with the seized contraband, for further investigation.
“These arrests are a great example of the combined Department of Homeland Sec
urity and LAX law enforcement teams coming together to stop a trans-continental drug smuggling operation,” said Mitchell Merriam, CBP Los Angeles Area Port Director.
CBP is responsible for inspecting all arriving and departing international passengers, to include conducting searches for narcotics, weapons, currency, agriculture, and other prohibited or illicit products. On a typical day, CBP seizes more than 9,000 pounds of narcotics at and between our nation’s 328 international ports of entry.
Kawasaki Agrees to Pay $5.2 Million Civil Penalty, Maintain Compliance Program for Failure to Report Defective ROVs and Misrepresentation - U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., of Japan, Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., of Foothill Ranch, California, and Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A., of Lincoln, Nebraska have agreed to pay a $5.2 million civil penalty.
The penalty settles charges that Kawasaki failed to immediately report to CPSC that its 2012-2016 model year Teryx4 750, Teryx4 800, and Teryx 800 recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) contained a defect that could create a substantial product hazard or that the ROVs created an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. CPSC also alleged that Kawasaki knowingly made a material misrepresentation to CPSC staff by underreporting the number of Teryx4 750 floorboard incidents and failing to report any incidents regarding the Teryx4 800 or Teryx 800.
Between April 2012 and July 2014, Kawasaki received more than 400 reports of Teryx4 750 floorboards cracking or breaking during normal operation due to impact with, or penetration by, debris from outside the vehicle. Three of these incidents resulted in injuries to consumers, including one serious injury.
In addition, between July 2013 and August 2015, Kawasaki received more than 150 reports of Teryx4 800 or Teryx 800 floorboards cracking or breaking during normal operation. Three of these incidents resulted in injuries to consumers, including two serious injuries. Kawasaki failed to immediately notify CPSC of the defect or risk posed by the ROVs, as required by federal law.
When Kawasaki ultimately filed its full report with CPSC, it reported a single incident and an unspecified number of injuries. The full report did not identify the more than 400 similar incidents involving Teryx floorboards about which Kawasaki had actual or presumed knowledge or any incidents involving the Teryx4 800 or Teryx 800. By omitting this information, Kawasaki made a material misrepresentation to CPSC staff, impeding CPSC staff’s investigation into the hazard posed by the firm’s ROVs and Kawasaki’s proposed repair, and hampered staff’s ability to accurately communicate the prevalence of the hazard to the public.
In July 2014, Kawasaki recalled 11,000 ROVS and then expanded the recall by 19,500 in December 2015. The recalled Teryx ROVs were sold at Kawasaki retailers nationwide from October 2011 to December 2015 for between $13,400 and $16,300.
In addition to paying the $5.2 million civil penalty, Kawasaki will maintain a compliance program to ensure compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). Kawasaki will also maintain a related system of internal controls and procedures.
Kawasaki’s settlement of this matter does not constitute an admission by Kawasaki, or a determination by the Commission, that Kawasaki violated the CPSA.
The penalty agreement has been accepted provisionally by the Commission by a 4 to 1 vote.