[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 241 (Friday, December 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74776-74777]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24136]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


The Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Chemicals, 
Pharmaceuticals, Health/Science Products and Services and the Industry 
Trade Advisory Committee on Intellectual Property Rights; Request for 
Nominations of Public Health and Health Care Community Representatives

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Manufacturing and Services, 
Commerce.

ACTION: Request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Commerce (Commerce) and the United States 
Trade Representative (USTR) seek nominations for the appointment of 
public health or health care community representatives to the Industry 
Trade Advisory Committee on Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Health/Science 
Products and Services (ITAC 3); and the Industry Trade Advisory 
Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (ITAC 15).
    In order to be considered for such an appointment, a nominee must 
be a U.S. citizen, must represent a U.S. entity in the public health or 
health care community, and may not be a registered foreign agent under 
the Foreign Agents Registration Act. A nominee's interest and expertise 
in public health or health care, international trade, and sectoral 
issues will be considered. Recruitment information is available on the 
International Trade Administration Web site at http://www.ita.doc.gov/itac.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Further inquiries may be directed to 
Ingrid V. Mitchem, Director, Industry Trade Advisory Center, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 4043, 
Washington, DC 20230 or Justin J. McCarthy, Assistant USTR for 
Intergovernmental Affairs, Winder Building, Room 100, 600 17th Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In section 135 of the 1974 Trade Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2155), 
Congress established a private-sector trade advisory committee system 
to ensure that U.S. trade policy and trade negotiation objectives 
adequately reflect U.S. commercial and economic interests. Section 
135(a)(1) of the 1974 Trade Act directs the President to ``seek 
information and advice from representative elements of the private 
sector and the non-Federal governmental sector with respect to:
    (A) Negotiating objectives and bargaining positions before entering 
into a trade agreement under [title I of the 1974 Trade Act and section 
2103 of the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002];
    (B) the operation of any trade agreement once entered into, 
including preparation for dispute settlement panel proceedings to which 
the United States is a party; and
    (C) other matters arising in connection with the development, 
implementation, and administration of the trade policy of the United 
States * * *. ''
    Section 135(c)(2) of the 1974 Trade Act provides--
    ``(2) The President shall establish such sectoral or functional 
advisory committees as may be appropriate. Such committees shall, 
insofar as is practicable, be representative of all industry, labor, 
agricultural, or service interests (including small business interests) 
in the sector or functional areas concerned. In organizing such 
committees, the United States Trade Representative and the Secretaries 
of Commerce, Labor, Agriculture, the Treasury, or other executive 
departments, as appropriate, shall--
    (A) consult with interested private organizations; and
    (B) take into account such factors as--
    (i) patterns of actual and potential competition between United 
States industry and agriculture and foreign enterprise in international 
trade,
    (ii) the character of the non-tariff barriers and other distortions 
affecting such competition,
    (iii) the necessity for reasonable limits on the number of such 
advisory committees,
    (iv) the necessity that each committee be reasonably limited in 
size, and
    (v) in the case of each sectoral committee, that the product lines 
covered by each committee be reasonably related.''
    Pursuant to this provision, Commerce and USTR have established and 
co-chair sixteen Industry Trade Advisory Committees (ITACs), plus an 
ITAC Committee of Chairs. ITACs provide information and advice that 
assists the USTR to develop U.S. trade policy and negotiating positions 
for specific industry sectors. ITAC members serve without compensation 
and are responsible for all expenses incurred in attending ITAC 
meetings. For additional information regarding ITAC functions and 
members, and general qualifications for membership, visit the ITAC Web 
site at http://www.ita.doc.gov/itac.
    Commerce and USTR are now soliciting nominations of representatives 
of the public health and health care community to serve on ITAC 3 and 
ITAC 15. Nominations will be considered in light of the eligibility 
requirements and selection criteria set forth below.

Eligibility

    Eligibility to serve as a public health or health care community 
representative is limited to U.S. citizens who are not full-time 
employees of a governmental entity, who represent a U.S. entity that is 
an organization in the public health and health care community and who 
are not registered with the Department of Justice under the Foreign 
Agents Registration Act. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a 
``U.S. entity'' is an organization incorporated in the United States 
(or, if unincorporated, having its headquarters in the United States):
    (1) That is controlled by U.S. citizens or by another U.S. entity. 
An entity is not a U.S. entity if more than 50 percent of its Board of 
Directors or membership is made up of non-U.S. citizens. If the nominee 
is to represent an organization more than 10 percent of whose Board of 
Directors or membership is made up of non-U.S. citizens, or non-U.S. 
entities, the nominee must demonstrate at the time of nomination that 
this non-U.S. interest does not constitute control and will not 
adversely affect his or her ability to serve as a trade advisor to the 
United States; and

[[Page 74777]]

    (2) at least 50 percent of whose annual revenue is attributable to 
non-governmental, U.S. sources.

Selection Criteria

    Commerce and USTR will consider nominations of public health and 
health care community representatives eligible for appointment to ITAC 
3 and ITAC 15 in light of the following criteria:
    (1) The organization to be represented has demonstrated an interest 
in health issues relevant to the work of the ITAC.
    (2) The nominee has demonstrated a personal interest and expertise 
in health issues relevant to the work of the ITAC, and ability to work 
with governmental officials and industry representatives to reach 
consensus on complex health and international trade issues affecting 
the relevant industry sector.
    (3) Preference will be accorded nominees who also demonstrate 
knowledge of and familiarity with the relevant industry sector, as well 
as with international trade matters, including trade policy 
development, relevant to that sector.
    Public health and health care community representatives selected 
for appointment to an ITAC will be required to have a security 
clearance.

Application Procedures

    To begin the nomination process, please send (1) sponsor letter 
(must be on organization's letterhead); (2) resume; and (3) 
organization profile to Ingrid V. Mitchem, Director, Industry Trade 
Advisory Center, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room 4043, Washington, DC 20230. Please indicate in your 
letter the ITAC or ITACs to which you wish to be appointed.

    Dated: December 13, 2005.
J. Marc Chittum,
Designated Federal Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-24136 Filed 12-13-05; 1:59 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P