Search Results for keywords:"regulatory amendments"

The Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and NASA have introduced a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to incorporate regulatory changes by the Small Business Administration. This rule provides incentives for small businesses in certain U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, under the SBA mentor-protégé program. It allows mentors to gain positive consideration in past performance evaluations if they subcontract with protégés from these areas and counts training costs toward subcontracting plan goals. The rule also clarifies that subcontracting plans are not required for entities treated as small business concerns by statute, such as Alaska Native Corporations.

The document is a proposed rule by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), under the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Treasury, which seeks to amend the regulations for low-value shipments valued at $800 or less. CBP aims to create a new process for these shipments to better target high-risk consignments, including those possibly containing illicit substances like fentanyl. This new "enhanced entry process" involves electronic data submission for a more efficient screening and clearance, while also offering a modified version of the current "release from manifest" process, now called the "basic entry process." Comments on the proposed changes are invited from the public until March 17, 2025.

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is proposing a rule to make technical corrections, clarifications, and improvements to its regulations. These changes involve rules about premium rates, premium payments, and the termination of single-employer plans, stemming from PBGC's review of its existing regulations and adjustments needed due to recent statutory changes. Key updates include revisions to premium rate calculations to align with the SECURE Act, clarifications on termination processes for pension plans, and the push for more electronic submission of forms and documents. These proposals aim to enhance clarity and efficiency while remaining cost-neutral overall.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has updated its regulations to improve the management of antidumping and countervailing duty (AD and CVD) laws. These changes aim to make the rules clearer and increase transparency by detailing how duties are applied and calculated. The amendments address issues like determining duty rates for nonmarket economies and handling subsidies from foreign governments. These new rules will take effect on January 15, 2025, to better enforce fair trade practices.

In a final rule published on November 18, 2024, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made corrections to its regulations by addressing two specific errors. The first correction involves handling a wrongly stayed section, with the agency providing new instructions to revise and stay that section until January 16, 2026. The second correction fixes a typographical error involving an incorrect reference in a section definition. These changes aim to improve clarity and consistency within the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced a new rule to help businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, raise capital more easily while still protecting investors. This rule simplifies and organizes the framework for certain types of exempt offerings, allowing these businesses to access investment opportunities while closing gaps and reducing complexities in the existing regulations. These changes also include specific new guidelines for how businesses can communicate their offerings and increased limits on how much they can offer and invest. The final rule is effective from March 15, 2021, with some specific provisions effective at varying dates.

The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has made amendments to its Rules of Practice and Procedure. The changes are designed to address technical corrections, clarify provisions, and ensure the rules are harmonized and consistent. These amendments are aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs in the administration of agency proceedings and apply to future investigations and proceedings starting February 3, 2025. Some key updates include implementing gender-neutral language, eliminating paper copies in favor of e-filing, and refining confidentiality designations during the filing process.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is proposing changes to its rules about medical copayments for veterans. The proposed rule would allow the VA to start the process to waive copayment debts on behalf of veterans in certain situations. This means veterans may not have to fill out a specific form (VA Form 5655) anymore when asking for a waiver. The rule aims to make it easier for veterans by simplifying the process and clarifying regulations related to these medical debts.

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is proposing updates to its regulations for the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act. These changes aim to incorporate amendments from the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, align with Department of Justice guidance, and improve public understanding and usability of the rules. Additionally, the updated rules are designed to better represent CEQ's current policies and practices, and include reorganizing and renaming sections for simplicity. Importantly, these proposals reflect CEQ's dedication to open information sharing while ensuring personal data is managed properly under the Privacy Act.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a final rule amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to clarify the scope of export controls on certain vaccines and medical products. These changes are based on decisions from the Australia Group's June 2019 Plenary meeting. The aim is to ensure greater consistency and harmonization of international export controls, enhancing national security by preventing dual-use items from contributing to the development of chemical or biological weapons. The rule modifies controls on vaccines containing specific biological agents to only require licenses for export to a limited number of countries of concern.