The FCC should revise its March broadcast diversity order to define who stands to benefit from it and let foreign companies take larger stakes in U.S. companies, said the Diversity and Competition Supporters coalition. Its Monday petition for partial reconsideration said the agency made “two very substantial errors” in not adopting a “workable ‘eligible entity’ definition of the class of beneficiaries” and rejecting foreign ownership reform. Section 301(b)(4) of the Communications Act lets the FCC allow foreigners to own more than 25 percent of a broadcast licensee if it’s in the public interest, said the coalition. “The Commission denied DCS’ deregulatory proposal without giving a specific substantive reason. Its procedural justification -- the need for a rulemaking proceeding -- is puzzling since, by definition, a rulemaking proceeding is sought in every petition for rulemaking.”

The Census Bureau has created an extensive Web page for its recent final rule on the mandatory filing of export information through the Automated Export System (AES) or AESDirect for all shipments where a Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) is currently required, etc.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an Excel spreadsheet listing the reject reasons for May 2008 for CBP Form 5106 Importer ID input records, CBP Form 301 Customs bonds, bond riders, bond terminations, etc.

The U.S. Census Bureau has issued its final rule, effective July 2, 2008, which amends 15 CFR Part 30 to make mandatory¹ the filing of export information through the Automated Export System or AESDirect², for all shipments where a Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) is currently required, etc.

The U.S. Census Bureau has issued its final rule to amend the Foreign Trade Statistics Regulations (15 CFR Part 30) to make mandatory the filing of export information through the Automated Export System or AESDirect, for all shipments where a Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) is currently required, etc.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a notice postponing the implementation of the Reportable Food Registry (Registry) and its associated electronic portal, both of which the FDA was required to establish by September 27, 2008, pursuant to the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA).

On May 22, 2008, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on S. 1919, the Trade Enforcement Act of 2007. Highlights of the witnesses' written statements are provided below, after a summary of the bill.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an Excel spreadsheet listing the reject reasons for April 2008 for CBP Form 5106 Importer ID input records, CBP Form 301 Customs bonds, bond applications, bond riders, bond terminations, etc.

The House and Senate have both passed the conference version of H.R. 2419, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill), by greater than two-thirds majorities.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a Federal Register notice announcing that it has reached a provisional settlement agreement with Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. in order to settle allegations that Kohl's sales of children's sweatshirts with drawstrings through the hood did not meet the CPSC's 1996 Guidelines or ASTM F1816-97, failed to comport with the CPSC's May 2006 defect notice, and posed a strangulation hazard to children.