Department of Commerce April 1, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS has incorporated public comments into revisions of marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs). All but ten of the 2012 reports are final and available to the public.

The Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Bureau) is giving notice of a virtual meeting of the Census Scientific Advisory Committee (CSAC). The CSAC will provide scientific and technical expertise from the following disciplines: Statistical sciences, demography, economics, geography, psychology, survey methodology, social and behavioral sciences, information technology, and other fields of expertise, as appropriate. Last minute changes to the agenda are possible, which could prevent giving advance public notice of schedule adjustments.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) is revising the rules of practice to implement the changes to the patent term adjustment provisions in section 1(h) of the Act to correct and improve certain provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act and title 35, United States Code (AIA Technical Corrections Act). Section 1(h) of the AIA Technical Corrections Act revises the date from which the fourteen-month patent term adjustment period is measured, and clarifies the date from which the three-year patent term adjustment period is measured, with respect to international applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Under section 1(h) of the AIA Technical Corrections Act, the fourteen-month patent term adjustment period and the three-year patent term adjustment period will be measured from the same date: the date on which an application was filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) in an application under 35 U.S.C. 111; or the date of commencement of the national stage under 35 U.S.C. 371 in an international application. Section 1(h) of the AIA Technical Corrections Act also revises the provisions for notifying applicants of patent term adjustment determinations and for requesting reconsideration and judicial review of the Office's patent term adjustment determinations and decisions.

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is amending the system of records currently listed under ``COMMERCE/ PAT-TM-13 Petitioners for License to File for Foreign Patents.'' This action is being taken to update the Privacy Act notice. We invite the public to comment on the amendments noted in this publication.

Notice is hereby given of a meeting via web conference call of the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (Committee). The web conference calls are open to the public, and participants can dial in to the calls. Participants who choose to use the web conferencing feature in addition to the audio will be able to view the presentations as they are being given. Members of the public wishing to listen in should contact Lauren Wenzel at the email or telephone number below for the call-in number and passcode.