Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions
"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions" is a regular feature of International Trade Today. The following are brief summaries of recent Capitol Hill actions.
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Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
Tobacco Bill Signed into Law
On June 22, 2009, the President signed into law H.R. 1256, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009, a bill which, among other things, grants authority over tobacco products to the Food and Drug Administration.
House Surface Transportation Authorization Bill Markup Announced
On June 22, 2009, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure released a draft version of the next surface transportation authorization bill. The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is set to mark up the bill on June 24, 2009. The completed bill will be introduced at a later date.
House Highway and Transit Investment Needs Hearing
The House Ways and Means Committee's Oversight and Select Revenue Measures Subcommittees announced a joint hearing to review highway and transit investment needs on June 25, 2009. The hearing will focus on the condition of U.S. national highway and transit systems, maintenance of infrastructure, and the costs and benefits of investments in Fiscal Years 2010 through 2015.
Letter to DHS on Radiation Portal Monitors Sent by House Committee Leaders
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Waxman (D) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Stupak (D) wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano regarding a GAO report entitled, "Combating Nuclear Smuggling: DHS Improved Testing of Advanced Radiation Detection Portal Monitors, but Preliminary Results Show Limits of New Technology." The Chairmen urge DHS to adopt the recommendations of the report and reexamine the advanced radiation detection portal monitors testing program.
Trade-Related Bills Introduced on June 22, 2009
On June 22, 2009, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
| Firearms, explosives licenses | S. 1317. A bill to increase public safety by permitting the Attorney General to deny the transfer of firearms or the issuance of firearms and explosives licenses to known or suspected dangerous terrorists |
If it is determined that any of the above Congressional actions, hearings, or bills warrant more in-depth coverage, such information will be provided separately in a future issue of International Trade Today.