[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69993-69994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29803]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service


Solicitation of Applications for Membership on Customs Cobra Fees 
Advisory Committee

AGENCY: U.S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: General notice; amendment; extension of application period.

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SUMMARY: By a document published in the Federal Register on June 22, 
2000, Customs set forth criteria for membership on the Customs COBRA 
Fees Advisory Committee and requested that applications be submitted 
for membership on the committee. This document presents amended 
criteria for membership on the committee, and extends the time within 
which applications for membership may be made. Customs is broadening 
the criteria governing the selection of members to serve on the 
committee in order to afford a greater pool of eligible applicants from 
which members may be selected for participation.

DATES: Applications for membership will be accepted until January 22, 
2001.

ADDRESSES: Applications should be addressed to Richard Coleman, Trade 
Compliance Team, U.S. Customs Service, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Room 5.2-A, Washington, D.C. 20229, Attention: COBRA 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Coleman, Trade Compliance 
Team, U.S. Customs Service, 202-927-0563.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    By a document published in the Federal Register (65 FR 38884) on 
June 22, 2000, Customs set forth criteria for membership on the Customs 
COBRA Fees Advisory Committee and requested that applications be 
submitted for membership on the committee.
    In principal part, the criteria contained in the June 22, 2000, 
Federal Register document limited membership on the committee to one 
U.S. Customs representative and up to eight parties that were directly 
subject to the payment of COBRA user fees. These parties included 
operators of: railways, trucks, barges, commercial cargo vessels, 
commercial passenger vessels, general aviation, and passenger aircraft. 
In this regard, it was also stated that, whenever possible, two members 
would be selected from among passenger aircraft operators and one 
member each from the other enumerated sectors; additional passenger 
aircraft operators could be selected if the other sectors did not have 
a qualified applicant.
    Under the June 22, 2000, Federal Register document, applications 
for membership on the committee were accepted until July 24, 2000.
    By this document, Customs is broadening the criteria governing the 
selection of members to serve on the committee in order to afford a 
greater pool of eligible applicants from which members may be selected 
for participation. To this end, an amended charter for the committee 
will be duly filed. Consequently, Customs is further extending the time 
within which applications may be made for membership on the committee.

Amended Membership Criteria

    While industry membership on the committee remains limited to up to 
eight parties, such members will now be selected from a cross-section 
of transportation industry interests that are concerned with COBRA user 
fees. Membership on the committee is thus no longer restricted to any 
of those parties described above that directly pay COBRA user fees. In 
addition to those parties, trade association and similar transportation 
industry representatives are now eligible for membership on the 
committee.
    It is intended that the composition of the committee will be 
arrived at in such a way as to create a balanced forum, taking into 
account a number of factors appropriate to its nature and function. 
However, there is no longer any specific formula or goal regarding the 
selection of members from particular sectors of the transportation 
industry.
    In addition, as made clear in the June 22, 2000, Federal Register 
document, any party who serves on another advisory committee is 
ineligible for

[[Page 69994]]

membership on the Customs COBRA Fees Advisory Committee if the other 
advisory committee is chartered by the Department of the Treasury, 
including any bureau, service or other office within the Department of 
the Treasury.

Applications for Membership

    As provided in the June 22, 2000, Federal Register document, 
applicants seeking to serve on the Customs COBRA Fees Advisory 
Committee must provide the following: a statement of interest and 
reasons for applying together with a complete professional biography or 
resume. Applicants must state in their applications that they agree to 
submit to pre-appointment security and tax checks. There is no 
prescribed format for the application. For further information on the 
committee and why it is being created, applicants should refer to the 
June 22, 2000, Federal Register notice. Applicants may send a cover 
letter describing their interest and qualifications, along with a 
resume. Persons who have already submitted applications for membership 
on the committee pursuant to the June 22, 2000, Federal Register 
document do not have to resubmit them.

    Dated: November 16, 2000.
Raymond W. Kelly,
Commissioner of Customs.
[FR Doc. 00-29803 Filed 11-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P