Federal Maritime Commission – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule implements the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996. The rule adjusts for inflation the maximum amount of each statutory civil penalty subject to Federal Maritime Commission (Commission) jurisdiction in accordance with the requirements of that Act.

This regulation amends the Commission's provisions for release of public information and related delegation of authority by issuing procedures for requests for testimony by Federal Maritime Commission employees and production of official Commission records in litigation, and delegating responsibility for determinations relating to such procedures to the General Counsel. It generally provides that Commission employees may not appear as witnesses in connection with information acquired in the course of performing official duties, or produce Commission records in litigation, without the consent of the Commission. The intended effect of this regulation is to clarify the Commission's procedures, conserve the ability of the Commission to conduct official business, preserve its employee resources, minimize involvement in matters unrelated to its mission and programs, and maintain its impartiality. This regulation does not apply to Congressional inquiries, Federal court civil proceedings in which the United States is a party, or Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act requests.