Limitation of Duty-free Imports of Apparel Articles Assembled in Haiti under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity Through Partnership for Encouragement Act (HOPE), 71377-71378 [E7-24373]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 241 / Monday, December 17, 2007 / Notices
Dated: December 7, 2007.
David M. Spooner,
Assistant Secretary for Import
Administration.
[FR Doc. E7–24397 Filed 12–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–S
COMMITTEE FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE
AGREEMENTS
Extension of Period of Determination
for Textile and Apparel Safeguard
Action on Imports from Honduras of
Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber
Socks
December 11, 2007.
The Committee for the
Implementation of Textile Agreements
(the Committee)
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Committee is extending
through January 18, 2008 the period for
making a determination on whether to
request consultations with Honduras
regarding imports of cotton, wool and
man-made fiber socks (merged Category
332/432 and 632 part).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sergio Botero, Office of Textiles and
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce,
(202) 482-2487.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ebenthall on PROD1PC69 with NOTICES
Authority: Title III, Subtitle B, Section 321
through Section 328 of the Dominican
Republic-Central America-United States Free
Trade Agreement (‘‘CAFTA-DR’’ or the
‘‘Agreement’’) Implementation Act; Article
3.23 of the Dominican Republic-Central
America-United States Free Trade
Agreement.
BACKGROUND:
In accordance with section 4 of the
Committee’s Procedures (‘‘Procedures’’)
for considering action under the
CAFTA-DR textile and apparel
safeguard, (71 FR 25157, April 28,
2006), the Committee decided, on its
own initiative, to consider whether
imports of Honduran origin cotton, wool
and man-made fiber socks are being
imported into the United States in such
increased quantities, in absolute terms
or relative to the domestic market for
cotton, wool and man-made fiber socks,
and under such conditions as to cause
serious damage, or actual threat thereof,
to the U.S. industry producing these
products.
On August 21, 2007 the Committee
solicited public comments regarding a
possible safeguard action on imports
from Honduras of cotton, wool and
man-made fiber socks (merged Category
332/432 and 632 part). This 30 day
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17:18 Dec 14, 2007
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period allowed the public an
opportunity to provide information and
analysis to assist the Committee in
considering this issue and in
determining whether a safeguard action
is appropriate. See Solicitation of Public
Comments Regarding Possible
Safeguard Action on Imports from
Honduras of Cotton, Wool and ManMade Fiber Socks, 72 FR 46611.
The Procedures state that the
Committee will make a determination
within 60 calendar days of the close of
the public comment period as to
whether the United States will request
consultations with Honduras. However,
if the Committee is unable to make a
determination within 60 calendar days,
it will cause to be published a notice in
the Federal Register, including the date,
by which it will make a determination.
The original 60-day determination
period for this case expired on
November 19, 2007. On November 6,
2007, the Committee decided to extend
the deadline for making its
determination until December 19, 2007.
(72 FR 64050, November 14, 2007). At
this time, the Committee is unable to
make a determination within the
extended period because it is continuing
to evaluate conditions in the market as
well as examining the current trade data
and other relevant information
available. Therefore, the Committee is
further extending the determination
period to January 18, 2008.
R. Matthew Priest,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation
of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. E7–24370 Filed 12–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS
COMMITTEE FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE
AGREEMENTS
Limitation of Duty-free Imports of
Apparel Articles Assembled in Haiti
under the Haitian Hemispheric
Opportunity Through Partnership for
Encouragement Act (HOPE)
December 11, 2007.
Committee for the
Implementation of Textile Agreements
(CITA).
ACTION: Publishing the 12-Month Cap on
Duty-Free Benefits
AGENCY:
EFFECTIVE DATE:
December 17, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Maria Dybczak, International Trade
Specialist, Office of Textiles and
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce,
(202) 482–3651.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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71377
Authority: The Caribbean Basin Recovery
Act (CBERA), as amended by the Haitian
Hemispheric Opportunity Through
Partnership for Encouragement Act of 2006
(collectively, HOPE), Title V of the Tax Relief
and Health Care Act of 2006.
HOPE provides for duty-free
treatment for certain apparel articles
imported directly from Haiti. Section
213A (b)(2) of HOPE provides duty-free
treatment for apparel articles wholly
assembled, or knit-to-shape, in Haiti
from any combination of fabrics, fabric
components, components knit-to-shape,
and yarns, if the sum of the cost or value
of materials produced in Haiti or one or
more countries, as described in HOPE,
or any combination thereof, plus the
direct costs of processing operations
performed in Haiti or one or more
countries, as described in HOPE, or any
combination thereof, is not less than an
applicable percentage of the declared
customs value of such apparel articles,
subject to quantitative limitation.
Section 213A (a)(1)(B) of HOPE
provides that the initial applicable oneyear period of quantitative limitation
means the one-year period beginning on
the date of the enactment of HOPE,
beginning on December 20, 2006.
Section 213A (b)(3) of HOPE provides
that annual quantitative limitations will
be recalculated for each subsequent 12month period. Section 213A (b)(3) of
HOPE also provides that the
quantitative limitations for qualifying
apparel imported from Haiti under this
provision for the twelve-month period
beginning on December 20, 2007 will be
an amount not to exceed 1.25 percent of
the aggregate square meter equivalent of
all apparel articles imported into the
United States in the most recent 12month period for which data are
available. For purposes of this notice,
the most recent 12-month period for
which data are available as of December
20, 2007 is the 12-month period ending
on October 31, 2007.
For the one-year period beginning on
December 20, 2007 and extending
through December 19, 2008, the
quantity of imports eligible for
preferential treatment under this
provision is 313,000,534 square meters
equivalent. Apparel articles entered in
excess of these quantities will be subject
to otherwise applicable tariffs.
These quantities are calculated using
the aggregate square meters equivalent
of all apparel articles imported into the
United States, derived from the set of
Harmonized System lines listed in the
Annex to the World Trade Organization
Agreement on Textiles and Clothing
(ATC), and the conversion factors for
units of measure into square meter
E:\FR\FM\17DEN1.SGM
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71378
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 241 / Monday, December 17, 2007 / Notices
equivalents used by the United States in
implementing the ATC.
Proposed Amendments After Period for
Public Comment
R. Matthew Priest,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation
of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. E7–24373 Filed 12–14–07; 8:45 am]
The proposed recommended
amendments to the Manual for CourtsMartial to be forwarded through the
DoD for action by Executive Order of the
President of the United States are as
follows:
Section 1. Part II of the Manual for
Courts-Martial, United States, is
amended as follows:
(a) R.C.M. 103 is amended by adding
the following new subparagraph (20)
and re-designating the current
subparagraph (20) as subparagraph (21):
‘‘(20) ‘Writing’ includes printing and
typewriting and reproductions of visual
symbols by handwriting, typewriting,
printing, photostating, photographing,
magnetic impulse, mechanical or
electronic recording, or other form of
data compilation.’’
(b) R.C.M. 405(h)(3) is amended to
read as follows:
‘‘(3) Access by spectators. Access by
spectators to all or part of the
proceedings may be restricted or
foreclosed in the discretion of the
commander who directed the
investigation or the investigating officer.
Article 32 investigations are public
hearings and should remain open to the
public whenever possible. When an
overriding interest exists that outweighs
the value of an open investigation, the
hearing may be closed to spectators.
Any closure must be narrowly tailored
to achieve the overriding interest that
justified the closure. Commanders or
investigating officers must conclude that
no lesser methods short of closing the
Article 32 can be used to protect the
overriding interest in the case.
Commanders or investigating officers
must conduct a case-by-case, witnessby-witness, circumstance-bycircumstance analysis of whether
closure is necessary. If a commander or
investigating officer believes closing the
Article 32 investigation is necessary, the
commander or investigating officer must
make specific findings of fact in writing
that support the closure. The written
findings of fact must be included in the
Article 32 investigating officer’s report.
Examples of overriding interests may
include: preventing psychological harm
or trauma to a child witness or an
alleged victim of a sexual crime,
protecting the safety of a witness or
alleged victim, protecting classified
material, and receiving evidence where
a witness is incapable of testifying in an
open setting.’’
(c) R.C.M. 1103(b)(2)(B) is amended to
read as follows:
‘‘(B) Verbatim transcript required.
Except as otherwise provided in
BILLING CODE 3510–DS
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Manual for Courts-Martial; Proposed
Amendments
Department of Defense; Joint
Service Committee on Military Justice
(JSC).
AGENCY:
Notice of Public Response to
Proposed Amendments to the Manual
for Courts-Martial, United States (2005
ed.) (MCM).
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The JSC is forwarding final
proposed amendments to the MCM to
the Department of Defense. The
proposed changes constitute the 2007
annual review required by the MCM and
DoD Directive 5500.17, ‘‘Role and
Responsibilities of the Joint Service
Committee (JSC) on Military Justice,’’
May 3, 2003. The proposed changes
concern the rules of procedure and
evidence and the punitive articles
applicable in trials by courts-martial.
These proposed changes have not been
coordinated within the Department of
Defense under DoD Directive 5500.1,
‘‘Preparation, Processing and
Coordinating Legislation, Executive
Orders, Proclamations, Views Letters
Testimony,’’ June 15, 2007, and do not
constitute the official position of the
Department of Defense, the Military
Departments, or any other Government
agency.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ebenthall on PROD1PC69 with NOTICES
Background
On September 24, 2007, the JSC
published a notice of Proposed
Amendments to the Manual for CourtsMartial and a Notice of Public Meeting
to receive comments on these proposals.
The public meeting was held on October
24, 2007. No member of the public
attended the meeting and no written
comments were received. In response to
a request from the House of
Representatives to review procedures
applicable to Article 32 proceedings, the
proposed amendments republished
below include a new Section 1(b)
addressing Rule for Courts-Martial
(R.C.M.) 405(h)(3).
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subsection (j) of this rule, the record of
trial shall include a verbatim transcript
of all sessions except sessions closed for
deliberations and voting when:’’
(d) R.C.M. 1103(e) is amended to read
as follows:
‘‘(e) Acquittal; courts-martial resulting
in findings of not guilty only by reason
of lack of mental responsibility;
termination prior to findings;
termination after findings.
Notwithstanding subsections (b), (c),
and (d) of this rule, if proceedings
resulted in an acquittal of all charges
and specifications, in a finding of not
guilty only by reason of lack of mental
responsibility of all charges and
specifications, or if the proceedings
were terminated by withdrawal,
mistrial, or dismissal before findings, or
if the proceedings were terminated after
findings by approval of an
administrative discharge in lieu of
court-martial, the record may consist of
the original charge sheet, a copy of the
convening order and amending orders
(if any), and sufficient information to
establish jurisdiction over the accused
and the offenses (if not shown on the
charge sheet). The convening authority
or higher authority may prescribe
additional requirements.’’
(e) R.C.M. 1103(g)(1)(A) is amended to
read as follows:
‘‘(A) In general. In general and special
courts-martial which require a verbatim
transcript under subsections (b) or (c) of
this rule and are subject to a review by
a Court of Criminal Appeals under
Article 66, the trial counsel shall cause
to be prepared an original record of
trial.’’
(f) R.C.M. 1103(j)(2) is amended to
read as follows:
‘‘(2) Preparation of written record.
When the court-martial, or any part of
it, is recorded by videotape, audiotape,
or similar material under subsection
(j)(1) of this rule, a written, as defined
in R.C.M. 103, transcript or summary as
required in subsection (b)(2)(A),
(b)(2)(B), (b)(2)(C), or (c) of this rule, as
appropriate, shall be prepared in
accordance with this rule and R.C.M.
1104 before the record is forwarded
under R.C.M. 1104(e), unless military
exigencies prevent transcription.’’
(g) R.C.M. 1104(a)(1) is amended to
read as follows:
‘‘(1) In general. A record is
authenticated by the signature of a
person specified in this rule who
thereby declares that the record
accurately reports the proceedings. An
electronic record of trial may be
authenticated with the electronic
signature of the military judge or other
authorized person. Service of an
authenticated electronic copy of the
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 241 (Monday, December 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71377-71378]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24373]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Limitation of Duty-free Imports of Apparel Articles Assembled in
Haiti under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity Through Partnership for
Encouragement Act (HOPE)
December 11, 2007.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).
ACTION: Publishing the 12-Month Cap on Duty-Free Benefits
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 17, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Dybczak, International Trade
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of
Commerce, (202) 482-3651.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: The Caribbean Basin Recovery Act (CBERA), as amended
by the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity Through Partnership for
Encouragement Act of 2006 (collectively, HOPE), Title V of the Tax
Relief and Health Care Act of 2006.
HOPE provides for duty-free treatment for certain apparel articles
imported directly from Haiti. Section 213A (b)(2) of HOPE provides
duty-free treatment for apparel articles wholly assembled, or knit-to-
shape, in Haiti from any combination of fabrics, fabric components,
components knit-to-shape, and yarns, if the sum of the cost or value of
materials produced in Haiti or one or more countries, as described in
HOPE, or any combination thereof, plus the direct costs of processing
operations performed in Haiti or one or more countries, as described in
HOPE, or any combination thereof, is not less than an applicable
percentage of the declared customs value of such apparel articles,
subject to quantitative limitation.
Section 213A (a)(1)(B) of HOPE provides that the initial applicable
one-year period of quantitative limitation means the one-year period
beginning on the date of the enactment of HOPE, beginning on December
20, 2006. Section 213A (b)(3) of HOPE provides that annual quantitative
limitations will be recalculated for each subsequent 12-month period.
Section 213A (b)(3) of HOPE also provides that the quantitative
limitations for qualifying apparel imported from Haiti under this
provision for the twelve-month period beginning on December 20, 2007
will be an amount not to exceed 1.25 percent of the aggregate square
meter equivalent of all apparel articles imported into the United
States in the most recent 12-month period for which data are available.
For purposes of this notice, the most recent 12-month period for which
data are available as of December 20, 2007 is the 12-month period
ending on October 31, 2007.
For the one-year period beginning on December 20, 2007 and
extending through December 19, 2008, the quantity of imports eligible
for preferential treatment under this provision is 313,000,534 square
meters equivalent. Apparel articles entered in excess of these
quantities will be subject to otherwise applicable tariffs.
These quantities are calculated using the aggregate square meters
equivalent of all apparel articles imported into the United States,
derived from the set of Harmonized System lines listed in the Annex to
the World Trade Organization Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC),
and the conversion factors for units of measure into square meter
[[Page 71378]]
equivalents used by the United States in implementing the ATC.
R. Matthew Priest,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. E7-24373 Filed 12-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS
