ExotoUSA LLC-Old Southern Brass; Analysis of Proposed Consent Order To Aid Public Comment, 85619-85621 [2023-26945]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2023 / Notices
Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.)
(BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR part
225), and all other applicable statutes
and regulations to become a bank
holding company and/or to acquire the
assets or the ownership of, control of, or
the power to vote shares of a bank or
bank holding company and all of the
banks and nonbanking companies
owned by the bank holding company,
including the companies listed below.
The public portions of the
applications listed below, as well as
other related filings required by the
Board, if any, are available for
immediate inspection at the Federal
Reserve Bank(s) indicated below and at
the offices of the Board of Governors.
This information may also be obtained
on an expedited basis, upon request, by
contacting the appropriate Federal
Reserve Bank and from the Board’s
Freedom of Information Office at
https://www.federalreserve.gov/foia/
request.htm. Interested persons may
express their views in writing on the
standards enumerated in the BHC Act
(12 U.S.C. 1842(c)).
Comments regarding each of these
applications must be received at the
Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of
the Board of Governors, Ann E.
Misback, Secretary of the Board, 20th
Street and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20551–0001, not later
than January 8, 2024.
A. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
(Holly A. Rieser, Senior Manager) P.O.
Box 442, St. Louis, Missouri 63166–
2034. Comments can also be sent
electronically to
Comments.applications@stls.frb.org:
1. Guaranty Capital Corporation,
Belzoni, Mississippi; to merge with
Lafayette Bancorp, Inc., and thereby
indirectly acquire Oxford University
Bank, both of Oxford, Mississippi.
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System.
Michele Taylor Fennell,
Deputy Associate Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2023–27031 Filed 12–7–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System.
Michele Taylor Fennell,
Deputy Associate Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2023–27030 Filed 12–7–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT
INVESTMENT BOARD
Notice of Board Meeting
DATES:
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
Jkt 262001
Telephonic. Dial-in (listen
only) information: Number: 1–202–599–
1426, Code: 675 746 624#; or via web:
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetupjoin/19%3ameeting_
OTIxOTM4MzAtYTUy
OC00NzNkLWFkMTUtZGQ3ODVhZ
TY0OGQx%40thread.v2/0?
context=%7b%22Tid
%22%3a%223f6323b7-e3fd-4f35-b43d1a7afae5910d%22%2c
ADDRESSES:
The notificants listed below have
applied under the Change in Bank
Control Act (Act) (12 U.S.C. 1817(j)) and
§ 225.41 of the Board’s Regulation Y (12
CFR 225.41) to acquire shares of a bank
or bank holding company. The factors
that are considered in acting on the
16:50 Dec 07, 2023
December 14, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
EST.
Change in Bank Control Notices;
Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or
Bank Holding Company
VerDate Sep<11>2014
applications are set forth in paragraph 7
of the Act (12 U.S.C. 1817(j)(7)).
The public portions of the
applications listed below, as well as
other related filings required by the
Board, if any, are available for
immediate inspection at the Federal
Reserve Bank(s) indicated below and at
the offices of the Board of Governors.
This information may also be obtained
on an expedited basis, upon request, by
contacting the appropriate Federal
Reserve Bank and from the Board’s
Freedom of Information Office at
https://www.federalreserve.gov/foia/
request.htm. Interested persons may
express their views in writing on the
standards enumerated in paragraph 7 of
the Act.
Comments regarding each of these
applications must be received at the
Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of
the Board of Governors, Ann E.
Misback, Secretary of the Board, 20th
Street and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20551–0001, not later
than December 26, 2023.
A. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
(Karen Smith, Director, Mergers &
Acquisitions) 2200 North Pearl Street,
Dallas, Texas 75201–2272. Comments
can also be sent electronically to
Comments.applications@dal.frb.org:
1. Nicholas Andrew Davis, Midland,
Texas; to join the Davis/Maddox Family
Group, a group acting in concert, to
acquire voting shares of First West
Texas Bancshares, Inc., and thereby
indirectly acquire voting shares of West
Texas National Bank, both of Midland,
Texas.
PO 00000
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85619
%22Oid%22%3a%2241d6f4d1-97724b51-a10d-cf72f842224a%22%7d.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kimberly Weaver, Director, Office of
External Affairs, (202) 942–1640.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Board
meeting agenda.
Open Session
1. Approval of the November 14, 2023,
Board Meeting Minutes
2. Monthly Reports
(a) Participant Report
(b) Investment Report
(c) Legislative Report
3. Quarterly Reports
(d) Vendor Risk Management
4. Semi-Annual CLA Review
5. 2024 Board Calendar Review
6. Social Science Update
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552b (e)(1).
Dated: December 5, 2023.
Dharmesh Vashee,
General Counsel, Federal Retirement Thrift
Investment Board.
[FR Doc. 2023–26969 Filed 12–7–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
[File No. 232 3035]
ExotoUSA LLC—Old Southern Brass;
Analysis of Proposed Consent Order
To Aid Public Comment
Federal Trade Commission.
Proposed consent agreement;
request for comment.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The consent agreement in this
matter settles alleged violations of
Federal law prohibiting unfair or
deceptive acts or practices. The attached
Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to
Aid Public Comment describes both the
allegations in the complaint and the
terms of the consent order—embodied
in the consent agreement—that would
settle these allegations.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before January 8, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties may file
comments online or on paper by
following the instructions in the
Request for Comment part of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
below. Please write ‘‘ExotoUSA LLC—
Old Southern Brass; File No. 232 3035’’
on your comment and file your
comment online at https://
www.regulations.gov by following the
instructions on the web-based form. If
you prefer to file your comment on
paper, please mail your comment to the
following address: Federal Trade
Commission, Office of the Secretary,
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\08DEN1.SGM
08DEN1
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
85620
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2023 / Notices
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite
CC–5610 (Annex V), Washington, DC
20580.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas Harris (202–326–3620),
Attorney, Division of Marketing
Practices, Bureau of Consumer
Protection, Federal Trade Commission,
600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
Washington, DC 20580.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to section 6(f) of the Federal Trade
Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and
FTC Rule section 2.34, 16 CFR 2.34,
notice is hereby given that the abovecaptioned consent agreement containing
a consent order to cease and desist,
having been filed with and accepted,
subject to final approval, by the
Commission, has been placed on the
public record for a period of 30 days.
The following Analysis to Aid Public
Comment describes the terms of the
consent agreement and the allegations
in the complaint. An electronic copy of
the full text of the consent agreement
package can be obtained at https://
www.ftc.gov/news-events/commissionactions.
You can file a comment online or on
paper. For the Commission to consider
your comment, we must receive it on or
before January 8, 2024. Write
‘‘ExotoUSA LLC—Old Southern Brass
File No. 232 3035’’ on your comment.
Your comment—including your name
and your State—will be placed on the
public record of this proceeding,
including, to the extent practicable, on
the https://www.regulations.gov
website.
Because of heightened security
screening, postal mail addressed to the
Commission will be subject to delay. We
strongly encourage you to submit your
comments online through the https://
www.regulations.gov website. If you
prefer to file your comment on paper,
write ‘‘ExotoUSA LLC—Old Southern
Brass File No. 232 3035’’ on your
comment and on the envelope, and mail
your comment to the following address:
Federal Trade Commission, Office of the
Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW, Suite CC–5610 (Annex V),
Washington, DC 20580.
Because your comment will be placed
on the publicly accessible website at
https://www.regulations.gov, you are
solely responsible for making sure your
comment does not include any sensitive
or confidential information. In
particular, your comment should not
include sensitive personal information,
such as your or anyone else’s Social
Security number; date of birth; driver’s
license number or other State
identification number, or foreign
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:50 Dec 07, 2023
Jkt 262001
country equivalent; passport number;
financial account number; or credit or
debit card number. You are also solely
responsible for making sure your
comment does not include sensitive
health information, such as medical
records or other individually
identifiable health information. In
addition, your comment should not
include any ‘‘trade secret or any
commercial or financial information
which . . . is privileged or
confidential’’—as provided by section
6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and
FTC Rule section 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR
4.10(a)(2)—including competitively
sensitive information such as costs,
sales statistics, inventories, formulas,
patterns, devices, manufacturing
processes, or customer names.
Comments containing material for
which confidential treatment is
requested must be filed in paper form,
must be clearly labeled ‘‘Confidential,’’
and must comply with FTC Rule section
4.9(c). In particular, the written request
for confidential treatment that
accompanies the comment must include
the factual and legal basis for the
request and must identify the specific
portions of the comment to be withheld
from the public record. See FTC Rule
section 4.9(c). Your comment will be
kept confidential only if the General
Counsel grants your request in
accordance with the law and the public
interest. Once your comment has been
posted on the https://
www.regulations.gov website—as legally
required by FTC Rule section 4.9(b)—we
cannot redact or remove your comment
from that website, unless you submit a
confidentiality request that meets the
requirements for such treatment under
FTC Rule section 4.9(c), and the General
Counsel grants that request.
Visit the FTC website at https://
www.ftc.gov to read this document and
the news release describing the
proposed settlement. The FTC Act and
other laws the Commission administers
permit the collection of public
comments to consider and use in this
proceeding, as appropriate. The
Commission will consider all timely
and responsive public comments it
receives on or before January 8, 2024.
For information on the Commission’s
privacy policy, including routine uses
permitted by the Privacy Act, see
https://www.ftc.gov/site-information/
privacy-policy.
Analysis of Proposed Consent Order To
Aid Public Comment
The Federal Trade Commission
(‘‘FTC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’) has accepted,
subject to final approval, an agreement
containing a consent order from
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ExotoUSA LLC, d/b/a Old Southern
Brass, and Austin Oliver
(‘‘Respondents’’).
The proposed consent order has been
placed on the public record for 30 days
for receipt of comments by interested
persons. Comments received during this
period will become part of the public
record. After 30 days, the Commission
will again review the agreement and the
comments received and decide whether
it should withdraw from the agreement
or make final the agreement’s proposed
order. This matter involves
Respondents’ advertising of glassware,
mugs, pens, and other novelty items as
made in the United States and claims of
association with the U.S. military.
According to the FTC’s complaint,
Respondents (1) deceptively advertised
certain products as made in the United
States even though, in numerous
instances, they were wholly imported,
and (2) falsely claimed ExotoUSA LLC
is veteran-operated, donates 10% of
sales to military service charities, and
incorporates bullets or bullet casings
fired by the U.S. military into its
products. Based on the foregoing, the
complaint alleges Respondents violated
section 5 of the Federal Trade
Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. 45(a).
The proposed consent order contains
provisions designed to prevent
Respondents from engaging in similar
acts and practices in the future.
Consistent with the FTC’s Made in USA
Labeling Rule, 16 CFR part 323, and its
Enforcement Policy Statement on U.S.Origin Claims, 62 FR 63756, 63768 (Dec.
2, 1997), Part I prohibits Respondents
from making U.S.-origin claims for their
products unless: (1) the final assembly
or processing of the product occurs in
the United States, all significant
processing that goes into the product
occurs in the United States, and all or
virtually all ingredients or components
of the product are made and sourced in
the United States; (2) a clear and
conspicuous qualification appears
immediately adjacent to the
representation that accurately conveys
the extent to which the product contains
foreign parts, ingredients or
components, and/or processing; or (3)
for a claim that a product is assembled
in the United States, the product is last
substantially transformed in the United
States, the product’s principal assembly
takes place in the United States, and
United States assembly operations are
substantial.
Part II prohibits Respondents from
making any representation, including
any claim about the country of origin of
a product or service or any claim
Respondents have an association with
the U.S. military, unless the
E:\FR\FM\08DEN1.SGM
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khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2023 / Notices
representation is not misleading and
Respondents have a reasonable basis
substantiating it.
Parts III through V are monetary
provisions. Part III imposes a judgment
of $4,572,137.66 and partially suspends
that judgment on the basis of the
Respondents’ sworn financial
statements. If the Commission
concludes any Respondent made a
material misrepresentation or omission
in that Respondent’s sworn financial
statement, the suspension as to that
Respondent is lifted and the full
judgment is immediately due. Part IV
includes additional monetary provisions
relating to collections. Part V requires
Respondents to provide sufficient
customer information to enable the
Commission to administer consumer
redress, if appropriate.
Part VI is a notice provision requiring
Respondents to identify and notify
certain consumers of the FTC’s action
within 30 days after the issuance of the
order, or within 30 days of the
consumer’s identification, if identified
later. Respondents are also required to
submit reports regarding their
notification program.
Parts VII through X are reporting and
compliance provisions. Part VII requires
Respondents to acknowledge receipt of
the order, to provide a copy of the order
to certain current and future principals,
officers, directors, and employees, and
to obtain an acknowledgement from
each such person that they have
received a copy of the order.
Part VIII requires Respondents to file
a compliance report within one year
after the order becomes final and to
notify the Commission within 14 days
of certain changes that would affect
compliance with the order.
Part IX requires Respondents to
maintain certain records, including
records necessary to demonstrate
compliance with the order. Part X
requires Respondents to submit
additional compliance reports when
requested by the Commission and to
permit the Commission or its
representatives to interview
Respondents’ personnel. Finally, Part XI
is a ‘‘sunset’’ provision, terminating the
order after twenty (20) years, with
certain exceptions.
The purpose of this analysis is to aid
public comment on the proposed order.
It is not intended to constitute an
official interpretation of the complaint
or proposed order, or to modify in any
way the proposed order’s terms.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:50 Dec 07, 2023
Jkt 262001
By direction of the Commission.
Joel Christie,
Acting Secretary.
BILLING CODE 6750–01–P
GENERAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION
[OMB Control No. 3090–XXXX; Docket No.
2023–0001; Sequence No. 8]
Information Collection; Data Collection
for a National Evaluation of the
American Rescue Plan
Office of Evaluation Sciences;
Office of Government-wide Policy
(OGP); General Services Administration
(GSA).
ACTION: Notice of request for comments
regarding a request for a new OMB
clearance.
AGENCY:
Under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act, OES is
proposing new data collection activities
conducted for the National Evaluation
of the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The
objective of this project is to provide a
systematic look at the contributions of
selected ARP-funded programs toward
achieving equitable outcomes to inform
program design and delivery across the
Federal Government. The project will
include in-depth, cross-cutting
evaluations and data analysis of selected
ARP programs, especially those with
shared outcomes, common approaches,
or overlapping recipient communities;
and targeted, program-specific analyses
to fill critical gaps in evidence needs.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
February 6, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments
identified by Information Collection
3090–XXXX; Data Collection for a
National Evaluation of the American
Rescue Plan via https://
www.regulations.gov. Submit comments
via the Federal eRulemaking portal by
searching for the OMB Control number
3090–XXXX. Select the link ‘‘Comment
Now’’ that corresponds with
‘‘Information Collection 3090–XXXX;
Data Collection for a National
Evaluation of the American Rescue
Plan’’. Follow the instructions on the
screen. Please include your name,
company name (if any), and
‘‘Information Collection 3090–XXXX;
Data Collection for a National
Evaluation of the American Rescue
Plan’’ on your attached document. If
your comment cannot be submitted
using https://www.regulations.gov, call
or email the points of contact in the FOR
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
section of
this document for alternate instructions.
Instructions: Please submit comments
only and cite Information Collection
3090–XXXX; Data Collection for a
National Evaluation of the American
Rescue Plan, in all correspondence
related to this collection. Comments
received generally will be posted
without change to regulations.gov,
including any personal and/or business
confidential information provided. To
confirm receipt of your comment(s),
please check regulations.gov,
approximately two-to-three days after
submission to verify posting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elizabeth Martin, Program Manager,
(267)455–8556 at
arp.national.evaluation@gsa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
[FR Doc. 2023–26945 Filed 12–7–23; 8:45 am]
SUMMARY:
85621
A. Purpose
The goal of this study is to look
systematically across the selected subset
of ARP programs, to provide an
integrated account of whether, how, and
to what extent their implementation
served to achieve their intended
outcomes, particularly with respect to
advancing equity. More specifically, the
study aims to learn how lessons from
examination of ARP programs and
interventions with shared outcomes,
common approaches, or overlapping
recipient communities may inform
equitable program design and delivery
across the Federal Government. The
study aims to address these overarching
evaluation questions:
• To what extent did ARP
investments and policy interventions
advance equitable outcomes for those
they were designed to serve?
• What strategies contributed to the
successes, and where are different
strategies needed?
• Where multiple ARP programs aim
to reach similar outcomes, especially
among a shared population:
Æ To what extent is there
coordination across programs in their
administration, customer experience
strategies, or performance or outcome
measurement practices?
Æ To what extent are there collective
impacts that could be attributed to more
than one program? What kinds of
impacts, if any, are observed?
Æ What kinds of secondary effects are
observed that may not be captured in
targeted outcome measures?
The list of 32 programs covered in the
May 2022 White House report
‘‘Advancing Equity through the
American Rescue Plan’’ provided the
scope of programs included in the
National Evaluation. A partnership
E:\FR\FM\08DEN1.SGM
08DEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 235 (Friday, December 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85619-85621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26945]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
[File No. 232 3035]
ExotoUSA LLC--Old Southern Brass; Analysis of Proposed Consent
Order To Aid Public Comment
AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.
ACTION: Proposed consent agreement; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged
violations of Federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or
practices. The attached Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid
Public Comment describes both the allegations in the complaint and the
terms of the consent order--embodied in the consent agreement--that
would settle these allegations.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 8, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties may file comments online or on paper by
following the instructions in the Request for Comment part of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. Please write ``ExotoUSA LLC--
Old Southern Brass; File No. 232 3035'' on your comment and file your
comment online at https://www.regulations.gov by following the
instructions on the web-based form. If you prefer to file your comment
on paper, please mail your comment to the following address: Federal
Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary,
[[Page 85620]]
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite CC-5610 (Annex V), Washington, DC
20580.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Harris (202-326-3620),
Attorney, Division of Marketing Practices, Bureau of Consumer
Protection, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
Washington, DC 20580.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 6(f) of the Federal
Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and FTC Rule section 2.34, 16
CFR 2.34, notice is hereby given that the above-captioned consent
agreement containing a consent order to cease and desist, having been
filed with and accepted, subject to final approval, by the Commission,
has been placed on the public record for a period of 30 days. The
following Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes the terms of the
consent agreement and the allegations in the complaint. An electronic
copy of the full text of the consent agreement package can be obtained
at https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/commission-actions.
You can file a comment online or on paper. For the Commission to
consider your comment, we must receive it on or before January 8, 2024.
Write ``ExotoUSA LLC--Old Southern Brass File No. 232 3035'' on your
comment. Your comment--including your name and your State--will be
placed on the public record of this proceeding, including, to the
extent practicable, on the https://www.regulations.gov website.
Because of heightened security screening, postal mail addressed to
the Commission will be subject to delay. We strongly encourage you to
submit your comments online through the https://www.regulations.gov
website. If you prefer to file your comment on paper, write ``ExotoUSA
LLC--Old Southern Brass File No. 232 3035'' on your comment and on the
envelope, and mail your comment to the following address: Federal Trade
Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite
CC-5610 (Annex V), Washington, DC 20580.
Because your comment will be placed on the publicly accessible
website at https://www.regulations.gov, you are solely responsible for
making sure your comment does not include any sensitive or confidential
information. In particular, your comment should not include sensitive
personal information, such as your or anyone else's Social Security
number; date of birth; driver's license number or other State
identification number, or foreign country equivalent; passport number;
financial account number; or credit or debit card number. You are also
solely responsible for making sure your comment does not include
sensitive health information, such as medical records or other
individually identifiable health information. In addition, your comment
should not include any ``trade secret or any commercial or financial
information which . . . is privileged or confidential''--as provided by
section 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and FTC Rule section
4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2)--including competitively sensitive
information such as costs, sales statistics, inventories, formulas,
patterns, devices, manufacturing processes, or customer names.
Comments containing material for which confidential treatment is
requested must be filed in paper form, must be clearly labeled
``Confidential,'' and must comply with FTC Rule section 4.9(c). In
particular, the written request for confidential treatment that
accompanies the comment must include the factual and legal basis for
the request and must identify the specific portions of the comment to
be withheld from the public record. See FTC Rule section 4.9(c). Your
comment will be kept confidential only if the General Counsel grants
your request in accordance with the law and the public interest. Once
your comment has been posted on the https://www.regulations.gov
website--as legally required by FTC Rule section 4.9(b)--we cannot
redact or remove your comment from that website, unless you submit a
confidentiality request that meets the requirements for such treatment
under FTC Rule section 4.9(c), and the General Counsel grants that
request.
Visit the FTC website at https://www.ftc.gov to read this document
and the news release describing the proposed settlement. The FTC Act
and other laws the Commission administers permit the collection of
public comments to consider and use in this proceeding, as appropriate.
The Commission will consider all timely and responsive public comments
it receives on or before January 8, 2024. For information on the
Commission's privacy policy, including routine uses permitted by the
Privacy Act, see https://www.ftc.gov/site-information/privacy-policy.
Analysis of Proposed Consent Order To Aid Public Comment
The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') has
accepted, subject to final approval, an agreement containing a consent
order from ExotoUSA LLC, d/b/a Old Southern Brass, and Austin Oliver
(``Respondents'').
The proposed consent order has been placed on the public record for
30 days for receipt of comments by interested persons. Comments
received during this period will become part of the public record.
After 30 days, the Commission will again review the agreement and the
comments received and decide whether it should withdraw from the
agreement or make final the agreement's proposed order. This matter
involves Respondents' advertising of glassware, mugs, pens, and other
novelty items as made in the United States and claims of association
with the U.S. military.
According to the FTC's complaint, Respondents (1) deceptively
advertised certain products as made in the United States even though,
in numerous instances, they were wholly imported, and (2) falsely
claimed ExotoUSA LLC is veteran-operated, donates 10% of sales to
military service charities, and incorporates bullets or bullet casings
fired by the U.S. military into its products. Based on the foregoing,
the complaint alleges Respondents violated section 5 of the Federal
Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. 45(a).
The proposed consent order contains provisions designed to prevent
Respondents from engaging in similar acts and practices in the future.
Consistent with the FTC's Made in USA Labeling Rule, 16 CFR part 323,
and its Enforcement Policy Statement on U.S.-Origin Claims, 62 FR
63756, 63768 (Dec. 2, 1997), Part I prohibits Respondents from making
U.S.-origin claims for their products unless: (1) the final assembly or
processing of the product occurs in the United States, all significant
processing that goes into the product occurs in the United States, and
all or virtually all ingredients or components of the product are made
and sourced in the United States; (2) a clear and conspicuous
qualification appears immediately adjacent to the representation that
accurately conveys the extent to which the product contains foreign
parts, ingredients or components, and/or processing; or (3) for a claim
that a product is assembled in the United States, the product is last
substantially transformed in the United States, the product's principal
assembly takes place in the United States, and United States assembly
operations are substantial.
Part II prohibits Respondents from making any representation,
including any claim about the country of origin of a product or service
or any claim Respondents have an association with the U.S. military,
unless the
[[Page 85621]]
representation is not misleading and Respondents have a reasonable
basis substantiating it.
Parts III through V are monetary provisions. Part III imposes a
judgment of $4,572,137.66 and partially suspends that judgment on the
basis of the Respondents' sworn financial statements. If the Commission
concludes any Respondent made a material misrepresentation or omission
in that Respondent's sworn financial statement, the suspension as to
that Respondent is lifted and the full judgment is immediately due.
Part IV includes additional monetary provisions relating to
collections. Part V requires Respondents to provide sufficient customer
information to enable the Commission to administer consumer redress, if
appropriate.
Part VI is a notice provision requiring Respondents to identify and
notify certain consumers of the FTC's action within 30 days after the
issuance of the order, or within 30 days of the consumer's
identification, if identified later. Respondents are also required to
submit reports regarding their notification program.
Parts VII through X are reporting and compliance provisions. Part
VII requires Respondents to acknowledge receipt of the order, to
provide a copy of the order to certain current and future principals,
officers, directors, and employees, and to obtain an acknowledgement
from each such person that they have received a copy of the order.
Part VIII requires Respondents to file a compliance report within
one year after the order becomes final and to notify the Commission
within 14 days of certain changes that would affect compliance with the
order.
Part IX requires Respondents to maintain certain records, including
records necessary to demonstrate compliance with the order. Part X
requires Respondents to submit additional compliance reports when
requested by the Commission and to permit the Commission or its
representatives to interview Respondents' personnel. Finally, Part XI
is a ``sunset'' provision, terminating the order after twenty (20)
years, with certain exceptions.
The purpose of this analysis is to aid public comment on the
proposed order. It is not intended to constitute an official
interpretation of the complaint or proposed order, or to modify in any
way the proposed order's terms.
By direction of the Commission.
Joel Christie,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-26945 Filed 12-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-P