December 13, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission is proposing new rules addressing the treatment of limited liability partnerships (``LLPs'') for purposes of the Federal Election Campaign Act (``FECA'' or the ``Act''). LLPs are created under State law and share certain characteristics with both partnerships and corporations. The Commission is considering treating all LLPs that have opted for Federal corporate tax treatment pursuant to the Internal Revenue Service's ``check the box'' provisions, as corporations for purposes of the Act. The Commission has made no final decision on the issues presented in this rulemaking. Further information is provided in the supplementary information that follows.

On December 5, 2012, the NAFTA Chapter 19 binational panel issued its decision in the review of the final results of the 2008/2009 antidumping administrative review made by the U.S. Department of Commerce, respecting Light-Walled Rectangular Pipe and Tube from Mexico, NAFTA Secretariat File Number USA-MEX-2011-1904-02. The panel remanded the matter to the U.S. Department of Commerce and Ordered that Commerce provide the Panel with its explanation regarding its practice of zeroing in administrative reviews, but not in antidumping investigations. Copies of the panel's decision are available from the U.S. Section of the NAFTA Secretariat.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently approved information collection associated with Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation certification requirements. This information is collected in support of the conservation compliance provisions of Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (the 1985 Farm Bill), as amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs, is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to establish an online web registration application.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) invites public comment on one currently approved Information Collection Request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652-0041, abstracted below that we will submit to OMB for renewal in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The collection involves the electronic submission of numerical ratings and written comments about the quality of training instruction from students who graduate from the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS)/Canine Training and Evaluation Section (CTES) Explosives Detection Canine Handlers Course, Passenger Screening Canine Handler Course and the Supervisor/ Trainer Seminars.

The Department of Commerce (``Department'') published its Preliminary Results of administrative review of the antidumping duty order on citric acid and certain citrate salts from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') on June 6, 2012.\1\ The period of review (``POR'') is May 1, 2010, through April 30, 2011. Further, the Department released the results of its Post-Preliminary analysis on October 23, 2012,\2\ in which we determined that the antidumping margin calculation methodology shall remain unchanged from the Preliminary Results. We gave interested parties an opportunity to comment on the Preliminary Results and Post-Preliminary Results. Based on our analysis of the comments received, the final results do not differ from the Preliminary Results. The final dumping margin for this review is listed in the ``Final Results of Review'' section below.

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission or CFTC) is adopting regulations to establish a clearing requirement under new section 2(h)(1)(A) of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA or Act), enacted under Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). The regulations require that certain classes of credit default swaps (CDS) and interest rate swaps, described herein, be cleared by a derivatives clearing organization (DCO) registered with the Commission. The Commission also is adopting regulations to prevent evasion of the clearing requirement and related provisions.