[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 203 (Thursday, October 19, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 62599-62600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-26780]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Export Administration

15 CFR Part 705

[Docket No. 000601164-0164-01]
RIN 0694-AC07


Effect of Imported Articles on the National Security

AGENCY: Bureau of Export Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce is amending its regulation on the 
``Effect of Imported Articles on the National Security'' to reduce the 
number of copies of a request or application for an investigation to be 
filed with the Department from 12 copies to 1 copy, plus the original, 
thereby reducing the burden on the applicant.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective November 20, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Botwin, Director, Strategic 
Analysis Division, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic 
Security, Room 3876,

[[Page 62600]]

U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, 
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-4060, FAX: (202) 482-5650, 
and E-Mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 
U.S.C. 1862) (the Act) authorizes investigations to determine the 
effects on the national security of imports of articles which are the 
subject of a request or application for an investigation. The 
implementing regulation, ``Effect of Imported Articles on the National 
Security'' (15 CFR Part 705)), prescribes procedures to be followed by 
the Department of Commerce (the Department) to commence and conduct 
such investigations.
    Consistent with amendments in 1995 to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1980 to reduce the paperwork burden on persons submitting a request 
or application for an investigation, section 705.5 of this regulation 
is being amended to reduce the number of copies of a request or 
application for and investigation to be filed with the Department from 
12 copies to 1 copy, plus the original.
    Accordingly, section 705.5 of the regulation is revised to require 
that an original and 1 copy of a request or application for an 
investigation be filed with the Director, Office of Strategic 
Industries and Economic Security, Room 3876, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.

Rulemaking Requirements

    The Department has made certain determinations with respect to the 
following rulemaking requirements:
    1. This final rule has been determined to be not significant for 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is 
required to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to 
comply with a collection of information, subject to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA), unless that collection of information displays a 
currently valid OMB Control Number. This rule involves collections of 
information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.). This regulation involves collections previously approved by 
the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 0694-0120, 
``Procedure to Initiate an Investigation Under the Trade Expansion Act 
of 1962'', which carries a burden hour estimate of 12 hours per 
submission.
    3. Executive Order 13132: This proposed rule does not contain 
policies with Federalism implications sufficient to warrant preparation 
of a Federalism assessment under E.O. 13132.
    4. Administrative Procedure Act and Regulatory Flexibility Act: The 
provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) requiring 
notice of proposed rulemaking, the opportunity for public participation 
and a delay in effective date, are inapplicable because this regulation 
relates to agency procedures (Sec. 5 U.S.C. 553 (b)(A)). Further, no 
other law requires that a notice of proposed rulemaking and an 
opportunity for public comment be given for this rule. Because a notice 
of proposed rulemaking and an opportunity for public comment are not 
required to be given for this rule under 5 U.S.C. 553 or by any other 
law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act ( 5 
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are not applicable.

List of Subjects in 15 CFR Part 705

    Administrative practice and procedure, Business and industry, 
Classified information, Confidential business information, Imports, 
Investigations, National Security.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, part 705 of Chapter 
VIII, Subchapter A, National Security Industrial Base Regulations (15 
CFR part 705) is amended as follows:

PART 705--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for Part 705 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: Sec 232, Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 
U.S.C. 1862)


    2. Section 705.5 is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 705.5  Request or application for an investigation.

    (a) A request or application for an investigation shall be in 
writing. The original and 1 copy shall be filed with the Director, 
Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, Room 3876, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.
* * * * *

    Dated: October 11, 2000.
R. Roger Majak,
Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-26780 Filed 10-18-00; 8:45 am]
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