Executive Office of the President August 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice that in accordance with the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO Agreement), the United States has requested the establishment of a dispute settlement panel regarding additional and extra additional duties India applies to imports from the United States. India applies these duties to products that include, but are not limited to, imports of wines and distilled spirits. That request may be found at www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS360/5. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of country-by-country allocations of the FY 2008 in- quota quantity of the tariff-rate quota for imported raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has determined not to initiate an investigation under section 302 of the Trade Act of 1974 with respect to a petition addressed to China's currency valuation policies because initiation of an investigation would not be effective in addressing the issues raised in the petition.

Pursuant to the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2006, Public Law 109-469, section 707(c), the Director, National Drug Control Policy is establishing regulations under which interested coalitions of law enforcement agencies from an area may petition for designation as a high intensity drug trafficking area. Public Comment: On June 4, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 106, Notices Page 30862-30864), the Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control published Notice of its intent to issue this regulation. A 60-day public comment period was established. The June 4 Notice stated that any written comments must be received by ONDCP via electronic mail or facsimile on or before August 3, 2007. In addition, an ONDCP staff point of contact was listed to provide additional information as appropriate. ONDCP did not receive any comments. Therefore, ONDCP is issuing this Notice of the agency's intent to publish a regulation identical to the document published on June 4, 2007.

This notice announces the 2007 Annual Review of the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA). Under this process petitions may be filed calling for the limitation, withdrawal or suspension of ATPA or ATPDEA benefits by presenting evidence that the eligibility criteria of the program are not being met. USTR will publish a list of petitions filed in response to this announcement in the Federal Register.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposes to authorize each Federal agency that receives applications for Federal financial assistance to add a field for the applicant's Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to application forms previously approved by OMB. This proposed update would broaden the directive's effect to all forms of Federal financial assistance covered by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (the ``Act'') including grants, subgrants, loans, awards, cooperative agreements, and other forms of financial assistance.

Under 44 U.S.C. 3504(e), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is soliciting public comment on a proposal to issue a new Statistical Policy Directive for the release and dissemination of statistical products produced by Federal statistical agencies. In its role as coordinator of the Federal statistical system, 44 U.S.C. 3504(e) requires OMB, among other responsibilities, to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the system as well as the integrity, objectivity, impartiality, utility, and confidentiality of information collected for statistical purposes. It also requires OMB to develop and oversee the implementation of Governmentwide policies, principles, standards, and guidelines concerning the presentation and dissemination of statistical information. The 2001 Information Quality Act (Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(3) [title V, Sec. 515], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A-153, 44 U.S.C. Section 3516 note) similarly requires OMB, as well as all other Federal agencies, to maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information, including statistical information, provided to the public. To operate efficiently and effectively, our democracy relies on the flow of objective, credible statistics to support the decisions of governments, businesses, households, and other organizations. Any loss of trust in the integrity of the Federal statistical system and its products could lessen respondent cooperation with Federal statistical surveys, decrease the quality of statistical system products, and foster uncertainty about the validity of measures our Nation uses to monitor and assess its performance and progress. To further support the quality and integrity of Federal statistical information, OMB is proposing a new Statistical Policy Directive designed to preserve and enhance the objectivity and transparency, in fact and in perception, of the processes used to release and disseminate the Government's statistical products. The procedures in the proposed directive are intended to ensure that statistical data releases adhere to data quality standards through equitable, policy- neutral, and timely release of information to the general public. Additional discussion of the proposal and a draft of the directive may be found in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. OMB is seeking public comment on the desirability of issuing the proposed directive as well as suggestions to improve its clarity, efficiency, and usefulness.