DOT, Supply Chain Companies Collaborate to Speed Up Movement of Goods, Cut Costs for Consumers - Department of Transportation
Washington, DC - Today, at the Department of Transportation, Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Port Envoy Gen. Stephen Lyons will host a convening of Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) partners to advance the development of the initiative and welcome new members. The convening marks an important milestone for FLOW – the number of participants has doubled, and existing partners having begun securely sharing data with USDOT for the first time. At the convening, members who operate across our supply chains will discuss the results of their recent innovative data sharing and how it can help meet the challenges that remain.
FLOW, which was launched in March, is a first-of-its-kind effort by the Biden-Harris Administration and supply chain companies to develop a digital tool that gives companies information on the condition of a node or region in the supply chain so that goods can be moved more quickly and cheaply, ultimately bringing down costs for families. There are now 36 participants that are a part of FLOW, which will grow over the coming months. USDOT also plans to hold listening sessions with small businesses, technology experts, and others.
"The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to bring together companies from across the supply chain in this first-of-its-kind initiative to share information and help move goods more quickly and cheaply," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "To keep supply chains moving and prices down, we must invest not only in our physical infrastructure but also our digital infrastructure, and FLOW is an important part of that effort."
“The start of data sharing between industry and USDOT is an important milestone for FLOW. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with industry to develop this tool to enable industry to make more informed decisions that will improve the movement of goods along our supply chain,” said Supply Chain Envoy Gen. Stephen Lyons.
Currently, the lack of transparency across supply chain networks makes our supply chain brittle and unable to adapt when faced with an anomaly. Through the FLOW pilot, USDOT is serving as an independent steward of supply chain data across a largely privately-operated enterprise that spans shipping lines, ports, terminal operators, truckers, railroads, warehouses, and beneficial cargo owners. By providing a shared view of the national logistics system, including both supply and demand assets, participants can better understand supply chain capacity nationally.
The solution is better cooperation on foundational freight data exchange so supply chain stakeholders can make better informed decisions that will reduce shipping costs, and ultimately cut costs for consumers. Supply chain parties deserve reliable, predictable, and accurate information about goods movement. The recent supply chain disruptions have raised a national awareness of the need for an ability to optimize existing asset use through improved information exchange. FLOW will support American businesses throughout the supply chain and improve accuracy of information from end-to-end for a more resilient supply chain.
The Biden-Harris Administration has focused on addressing supply chain congestion, speeding up the movement of goods and lowering costs for families. The Administration is also focusing on addressing the structural weaknesses in the goods movement chain that the pandemic exposed, the result of decades of underinvestment, outsourcing, and offshoring over long-term security, sustainability, and resilience. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making a generational investment in our ports, highways, and other parts of our physical infrastructure to lower costs.
Participants in FLOW include: Read here
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Federal Register Notices:
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Certain Hardwood Plywood Products From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review and Final Determination of No Shipments; 2020
• Ferrovanadium From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of the Expedited Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Order
• Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire Strand From Thailand: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2020
• Certain Collated Steel Staples From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review and Preliminary Determination of No Shipments; 2020-2021
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products From China, India, Italy, South Korea, and Taiwan
• Certain Video Processing Devices and Products Containing the Same; Institution of Investigation
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet, and Strip From India: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, and Rescission, in Part; 2020
• Certain Softwood Lumber Products From Canada: Final Results and Final Rescission, in Part, of the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 2020
• Certain Softwood Lumber Products From Canada: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review and Final Determination of No Shipments; 2020
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Certain Integrated Circuits and Products Containing Same; Notice of Commission Decision Not To Review an Initial Determination Terminating the Investigation Based on Settlement; Termination of Investigation
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Amended Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 2019-2020
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Certain Networking Devices, Computers, and Components Thereof and Systems Containing the Same; Notice of a Commission Determination Not To Review an Initial Determination Terminating the Investigation for Good Cause; Denial of Motion To Strike as Moot; Termination of the Investigation
• Urea Ammonium Nitrate Solutions From Russia and Trinidad and Tobago
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Certain Barcode Scanners, Mobile Computers With Barcode Scanning Capabilities, Scan Engines, RFID Printers, Components Thereof, and Products Containing Same; Notice of a Commission Determination Not To Review an Initial Determination Terminating the Investigation Due to a Settlement Agreement; Termination of Investigation
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Norfolk, VA CBP Officers Seize Second Significant Sham Socks Shipment destined to Loudoun County, VA - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
NORFOLK, Va. – Just two weeks after seizing 118,566 pairs of counterfeit cotton diabetic socks, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News, Va., seized another 165,707 pairs of socks that violated the Cotton seal trademark. This latest shipment, which officers seized on July 29, was appraised at more than $2.6 million manufacturer’s suggested retail price had they been authentic.
CBP officers initially inspected this shipment of Hugh Ugoli branded diabetic cotton socks on July 12 after it arrived from Turkey, and officers detained the 694-box shipment. This shipment was similar to the July 13 counterfeit diabetic socks seizure.
Diabetic socks are specialty socks that are non-elastic to reduce pressure and swelling, that eliminate friction that may cause discomfort, and that help keep the patient’s foot dry. Any level of substandard manufacturing may seriously endanger the health and well-being of diabetic patients.
CBP import specialists at the agency’s Apparel, Footwear and Textiles Centers of Excellence and Expertise, which are the agency’s trade experts, verified with Cotton Incorporated that the Cotton seal trademark on the packaging was unauthorized.
According to Cotton Incorporated, products bearing the “Seal of Cotton” trademark, which is owned and licensed exclusively by Cotton Incorporated, are evaluated for their cotton quality and content in a product. Additionally, licensees must have all artwork and packaging bearing the Seal of Cotton trademark approved prior to manufacturing and distribution.
CBP import specialists appraised the counterfeit socks at $2,651,312 MSRP, had they been authentic.
CBP officers seized the socks, which were destined to an address in Loudoun County, Va.
No one has been criminally charged. An investigation continues.
“Diabetic socks are an unusual product to counterfeit, but Customs and Border Protection officers realize that bad actors will counterfeit anything that lines their greedy pockets with illicit proceeds, regardless of any potential harm their products will cause their customers,” said Mark Laria, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News. “We remain committed to intercepting counterfeit and potentially dangerous consumer goods, and we strongly encourage consumers to protect themselves and their families by purchasing goods only from reputable vendors.”
CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program. The international trade in counterfeit consumer goods is illegal. It steals revenues from trademark holders, steals tax revenues from the government, funds transnational criminal organizations, and the unregulated products potentially threaten the health and safety of American consumers. Counterfeit consumer goods may also be sourced or manufactured in facilities that employ forced labor.
During fiscal year 2021, CBP officers and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents seized over 27,000 shipments containing goods that violated intellectual property rights. The total estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of the seized goods, had they been genuine, was $3.3 billion, or an average of about $9 million every day. Additionally, HSI special agents arrested 388 individuals in 2021, obtained 155 indictments, and received 100 convictions related to intellectual property crimes. To learn more at HSI’s role in combatting counterfeiting, visit the National IPR Coordination Center.
Media can mine additional enforcement details by viewing CBP’s IPR webpage or by viewing previous years’ annual counterfeit goods seizure reports.
CBP's border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality. Learn what CBP accomplished during "A Typical Day" in 2021. Learn more about CBP at www.CBP.gov.
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OTEXA: Announcements - Office of Textile & Apparel
[08/04/2022] – June 2022 Textile and Apparel Import Report
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Weekend Haul of $6.88 Million Worth of Fake Jewelry and Watches Seized in Cincinnati - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
CINCINNATI –- Last Friday and Saturday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati seized three shipments of jewelry and watches deemed counterfeit by CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise.
The first shipment originated from Hong Kong, and was destined to a private residence in Richmond, Virginia. Although it had a declared value of $319, the package held 275 assorted Cartier Love bracelets. Had the 275 bracelets been genuine, the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) would have been $3.27 million.
Later that night, CBP officers seized a second shipment also arriving from in Hong Kong. Officers found 385 yellow gold Cartier bracelets and 115 white gold Cartier bracelets. These 500 counterfeit bracelets would have had a total MSRP of $3.2 million, had they been real.
“These large seizures illustrate the work our officers do every day to protect our country, its citizens, and the economy,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago Field Office. “Our officers are dedicated to preventing counterfeiters from defrauding consumers and legitimate businesses.”
On Saturday, August 5, CBP officers seized another shipment from Hong Kong containing 13 fake Rolex watches- 10 Cosmograph Daytona and three Yacht Master II. These counterfeit watches were heading to a business in Mesquite, Texas. Had these been genuine, the MSRP for these watches would have been over $405,000.
“CBP is responsible for enforcing nearly 500 U.S. trade laws and regulations on behalf of 49 other federal agencies. CBP officers play a critical role in the Nation’s efforts to keep unsafe counterfeit and pirated goods from harming the American public,” said Richard Gillespie, Port Director - Cincinnati. “This is yet another dramatic example of how CBP officers work every day to protect the American consumer, the US economy and US jobs.”
The rapid growth of e-commerce enables consumers to search for and easily purchase millions of products through online vendors, but this easy access gives counterfeit and pirated goods more ways to enter the U.S. economy. U.S. consumers spend more than $100 billion every year on intellectual property rights (IPR) infringing goods, falling victim to approximately 20% of the counterfeits that are illegally sold worldwide.
CBP has established an educational initiative to raise consumer awareness about the consequences and dangers associated with purchasing counterfeit and pirated goods online or in stores. More information about that initiative is available at www.cbp.gov/fakegoodsrealdangers.
For more ways to protect yourself from counterfeit and pirated goods, visit https://www.stopfakes.gov/.
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USITC to Investigate Economic Impact of USMCA Automotive Rules of Origin on the United States - U.S. International Trade Commission
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is seeking input for a new factfinding investigation on the USMCA automotive rules of origin (ROOs) and their impact on the U.S. economy, their effect on the competitiveness of U.S. automotive production and trade, and their relevancy in light of technology changes.
The Commission instituted the investigation, USMCA Automotive Rules of Origin: Economic Impact and Operation, 2023 Report (Inv. No. 332-592), for the purpose of preparing the first of five reports for the President and the House Committee on Ways and Means and Senate Committee on Finance as required by section 202A(g)(2) of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act.
As required, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will examine the USMCA automotive ROOs and their impact on the United States in an investigation and produce a report. The report will provide information on:
1. the economic impact of the USMCA automotive ROOs on U.S. gross domestic product, trade, employment, and consumers, as well as the economic impact on production, investment, capacity, revenues, wages, and employment in U.S. automotive industries;
2. the operation of the USMCA automotive ROOs and their effect on the competitiveness of U.S. automotive production and trade;
3. the relevancy of the USMCA automotive ROOs in light of recent technology changes in the United States; and
4. other matters the Commission considers relevant to the economic impact of the USMCA automotive ROOs.
The USITC expects to submit its first report to the President and the appropriate Congressional committees no later than Friday, June 30, 2023. The Commission is directed to submit reports on the USMCA automotive ROOs every two years thereafter until 2031.
The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation at 9:30 a.m. on November 3, 2022. Information about how to participate in the hearing will be posted on the Commission’s website no later than September 26, 2022, at https://usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/what_we_are_working_on.htm.
Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on September 30, 2022, with the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. See below for important information regarding filing a request to appear at a USITC hearing.
The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary to the Commission and should be submitted no later than 5:15 p.m. on November 24, 2022. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection. See below for important information regarding the filing of written submissions for USITC investigations.
IMPORTANT: All filings to appear at the hearing and written submissions must be made through the Commission’s Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, https://edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paper-based filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until further notice. Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Office of the Secretary, Docket Services Division (EDIS3Help@usitc.gov), or consult the Commission’s Handbook on Filing Procedures.
Further information on the scope of the investigation and appropriate submissions is available in the USITC’s notice of investigation, dated August 4, 2022, which can be downloaded from the USITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov) or may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Secretary at commissionhearings@usitc.gov.
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.
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Is That Health Insurance, a Health Product, or a Scam? - Federal Trade Commission
Looking for health insurance can be confusing. But if you run across a company that deliberately tricks you into signing up for insurance or health products that don’t deliver (and are hard to cancel), it’s even harder.
According to the FTC, Benefytt Technologies, Inc. and its partners did just that — tricking people into believing they could get Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant health insurance, or health products with the same benefits as ACA insurance.
But wait, there’s more. The FTC says Benefytt also often charged people separate fees for add-on health products…which people didn’t know about or want. And hadn’t agreed to buy. And if they called to cancel the not-really-ACA-compliant health insurance or product, many still kept getting bills for those add-on products.
So, what if you bought “insurance” from Benefytt and now need a real, ACA-compliant plan? Well, as part of the settlement, Benefytt must tell its customers how to cancel their plan — and tell customers how to take advantage of a special enrollment period to sign up for real, ACA-qualified health insurance. So, if you know someone who has a Benefytt product, please pass this news on to them.
Before signing up for health insurance:
• Compare plans, coverage, and prices at a trusted source. HealthCare.gov and state marketplaces are the first stop for information about comprehensive, ACA-compliant health insurance coverage.
• Research any company offering health coverage or products. Search online for the name of the company plus “complaint,” “scam,” or “fraud.” Read reviews and see what others have to say. Check with your state insurance commissioner’s office to find out if there are complaints.
• Ask for info in writing. Is the plan really comprehensive health insurance? Does it offer the coverage you need? What’s the total cost? Are there caps or limitations to coverage?
If you spotted a health care scam, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Then, report it to your state attorney’s general office.