October 30, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) conducted two separate Collaborative Search Pilot Programs (CSPs) during the period of 2015 through 2017. One of these programs was conducted with the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the other with the Korean Intellectual Patent Office (KIPO). Improvements in patent quality and examination pendency were identified as positive outcomes from these two original CSPs. Building on the success of these two programs, the USPTO is participating in a new, expanded CSP (Expanded CSP) in which applicants may request that multiple partnering Intellectual Property (IP) offices exchange search results for their counterpart applications prior to formulating and issuing their office actions. In Expanded CSP, each designated partner IP office will independently conduct a prior art search for its corresponding counterpart application. The search results will then be exchanged between the designated partner IP office(s) and the USPTO before any IP office issues an office action. By this exchange of search results, the examiners in all designated partner IP offices will have a more comprehensive set of prior art references to consider when making initial patentability determinations. In addition to changing the number of IP offices that may be providing search results to the USPTO, Expanded CSP provides applicants with more flexibility by not requiring that applicants follow the procedures of the First Action Interview Pilot Program (FAI). Expanded CSP will allow the USPTO to study the impact on examination processes resulting from exchanges of search results between the USPTO and multiple partner IP offices prior to formulating and issuing office actions.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``DOL-Only Performance Accountability, Information, and Reporting System,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

This document amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to remove the provision relating to the prohibition on the importation of jadeite or rubies mined or extracted from Burma, and articles of jewelry containing jadeite or rubies mined or extracted from Burma. This reflects the termination of all Burmese sanctions by Executive Order 13742, of October 7, 2016.

HRSA is publishing this notice of petitions received under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (the program), as required by the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended. While the Secretary of HHS is named as the respondent in all proceedings brought by the filing of petitions for compensation under the Program, the United States Court of Federal Claims is charged by statute with responsibility for considering and acting upon the petitions.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Examinations and Testing of Electrical Equipment, Including Examination, Testing, and Maintenance of High Voltage Longwalls,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

On September 29, 2017, President Trump continued the President's Committee on the International Labor Organization (ILO) for two years through September 30, 2019. In response, and pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the Secretary of Labor renewed the committee's charter on October 23, 2017. Purpose: The President's Committee on the International Labor Organization was established in 1980 by Executive Order 12216 to monitor and assess the work of the ILO and make recommendations to the President regarding United States policy towards the ILO. The committee is chaired by the Secretary of Labor and the Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs is responsible for providing the necessary support for the committee. The committee is composed of seven members: The Secretary of Labor (chair), the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and one representative each from organized labor and the business community, designated by the Secretary. The labor and business members are the presidents of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), respectively, as the most representative organizations of U.S. workers and employers engaged in ILO matters.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Sealing of Abandoned Areas Standard,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Rehabilitation Plan and Award,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has received a complaint entitled Certain Mounting Apparatuses for Holding Portable Electronic Devices and Components Thereof, DN 3268; the Commission is soliciting comments on any public interest issues raised by the complaint or complainant's filing pursuant to the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure.

Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on September 19, 2017, under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of Metglas, Inc. of Conway, South Carolina and Hitachi Metals, Ltd. of Japan. Supplements were filed on September 20, 2017, and October 6, 2017. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 based upon the importation into the United States, or in the sale of certain amorphous metal and products containing same by reason of misappropriation of trade secrets, the threat or effect of which is to destroy or substantially injure a domestic industry in the United States. The complainants request that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the investigation, issue a general exclusion order, or in the alternative a limited exclusion order, and cease and desist orders.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the importation of fresh tomatoes from France, Morocco, Western Sahara, Chile, and Spain.

As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce (Department) and the International Trade Commission (ITC) that revocation of the antidumping duty (AD) order on certain paper clips (paper clips) from the People's Republic of China (PRC) would likely lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury to an industry in the United States, the Department is publishing a notice of continuation of the AD order.

The Office of Combined Federal Campaign, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other federal agencies the opportunity to comment on an information collection request (ICR) 3206-NEW, OPM Form 1654-B, the Combined Federal Campaign Retiree Pledge Form. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as amended by the Clinger-Cohen Act, OPM is soliciting comments for this collection. The information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on August 22, 2017 at 82 FR 39918 allowing for a 60-day public comment period. No comments were received for this information collection. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 as amended and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Social Science Plan Team will meet telephonically on November 14, 2017.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is hereby giving notice that the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality (ACIM) has been rechartered. The effective date of the renewed ACIM charter is September 30, 2017.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled ``Assessing User Fees Under the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2017.'' This draft guidance provides stakeholders information regarding the implementation of the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2017 (GDUFA II) and policies and procedures surrounding its application.

Under title II of the Social Security Act (Act), there will be a 2.0 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits effective December 2017. In addition, the national average wage index for 2016 is $48,664.73. The cost-of-living increase and national average wage index affect other program parameters as described below.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of the guidance entitled ``Product Labeling for Certain Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator Devices.'' FDA is providing a specific labeling recommendation in this guidance to promote the safe and effective use of ultrasonic surgical aspirator devices. The labeling recommendation is being made in light of the risk of tissue dissemination and relates to use of these devices in the removal of uterine fibroids.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the Agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Federal Agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the requirements for electronic submission of postmarketing safety reports for human drug and biological products.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is classifying the non-electroencephalogram (non-EEG) physiological signal based seizure monitoring system into class II (special controls). The special controls that apply to the device type are identified in this order and will be part of the codified language for the non-EEG physiological signal based seizure monitoring system's classification. We are taking this action because we have determined that classifying the device into class II (special controls) will provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. We believe this action will also enhance patients' access to beneficial innovative devices, in part by reducing regulatory burdens.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the complaint and the terms of the consent order embodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.