The Bureau of Industry and Security is again seeking comments on an information collection related to a survey to assess the competitiveness of certain U.S. industries in the defense industrial base, a notice said. The survey will help “small- and medium-sized firms in defense transition and in gaining access to advanced technologies and manufacturing processes available from Federal Laboratories.” BIS previously requested feedback in March (see 2103220005) but is allowing for an additional 30 days for public comment. Comments are due by Aug. 23.
President Joe Biden on July 19 nominated Judith Pryor for first vice president of the Export-Import Bank. Pryor is a Senate-confirmed member of the Ex-Im’s board, where she has overseen the bank’s efforts involving Africa, the Middle East, renewable energy, storage, efficiency and women and minority-owned businesses.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on an information collection involving the Chemical Weapons Convention provisions in the Export Administration Regulations, the agency said in a notice. The collection describes the purpose of the CWC, U.S. reporting obligations and information on certain end-use certificates. Comments are due by Sept. 20.
The Bureau of Industry and Security extended by 30 days the comment period for an information collection related to statements by the ultimate consignee and purchaser of U.S. exports (see 2103220006), it said in a notice. The collection involves Form BIS-711, which provides information on the foreign importer receiving the U.S. technology, describes how the technology will be used and “provides assurances” that the technology will not be used in violation of the Export Administration Regulations. Comments are now due by Aug. 20.
U.S. beef exporters should see record numbers this year and expect to “strengthen their position in the global marketplace” as countries roll back COVID-19 restrictions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a July 15 report. USDA said U.S. beef exports are forecast to reach a record 1.5 million metric tons, up 16% from last year and 8% above the 2018 high. Exporters should see especially strong demand from South Korea and China and less competition from some other beef exporters, including Australia, which is rebuilding its herd after a multiyear drought.
Lindsay Gorman, a former emerging technology expert at the German Marshall Fund, will join the White House as a senior adviser for technology strategy, she announced July 13. Before joining GMF, she ran Politech Advisory, a technology consulting firm, and worked in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The Justice Department and Federal Maritime Commission signed the first-ever memorandum of understanding between the two agencies to foster better cooperation on enforcement and oversight of competition issues in the ocean shipping industry, the agencies said July 12. The MOU creates a “framework” for the two agencies to discuss “enforcement and regulatory matters” involving unreasonable carrier practices, an increase in large carrier alliances and other practices that are hurting U.S. importers and exporters (see 2102170060). Under the MOU, which was encouraged by President Joe Biden’s executive order last week (see 2107090056), officials from the FMC and the Justice Department’s antitrust division will “confer” at least once annually, according to the MOU.
President Joe Biden signed an executive order July 9 that calls for the Federal Maritime Commission to "consider further rulemaking to improve detention and demurrage practices and enforcement of related Shipping Act prohibitions." The FMC should also "vigorously enforce the prohibition of unjust and unreasonable practices in the context of detention and demurrage" and request recommendations on the subject from the National Shipper Advisory Committee. The EO also suggests that the U.S. Department of Agriculture "consider initiating a rulemaking to define the conditions under which the labeling of meat products can bear voluntary statements indicating that the product is of United States origin, such as 'Product of USA.'” The EO addresses a wide range of issues meant to improve and promote competition in the U.S. economy, the White House said in a fact sheet.
President Joe Biden plans to issue a wide-ranging executive order this week that will address anti-competitive practices, including those affecting traders in the ocean and rail shipping industries, The Wall Street Journal reported July 8. Although White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the order will address broad wage and labor issues, it will also call on the Federal Maritime Commission to help traders overcome challenges that have impeded the flow of goods for months, the report said.
The Washington lobbying firm that represents a Chinese surveillance company recently hired a former U.S. sanctions officer to advise it on U.S. sanctions weeks after the Chinese company was added to a U.S. blacklist, Axios reported July 7. The firm, Mercury Public Affairs, which lobbies on behalf of Hikvision, last month hired Peter Kucik as managing director of its D.C. office, it said in a press release. Kucik was formerly a senior sanctions policy adviser at the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Hikvision was designated a Chinese military company and added to an investment ban list last year (see 2011130026). Hikvision declined to comment, and Mercury didn’t comment.