[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80875-80876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32294]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Request for Public Comments on Review of Employment Impact of the 
Trans-Pacific Partnership

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of intent to conduct an employment impact review of the 
Trans-Pacific Partnership and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) 
and the Department of Labor (DOL), through the Trade Policy Staff 
Committee (TPSC), are initiating an employment impact review of the 
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement. USTR is seeking public 
comments on the impact of the TPP Agreement on U.S. employment, 
including labor markets.

DATES: Written comments are due by Wednesday, January 13, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted electronically via the 
Internet at www.regulations.gov. If you are unable to provide 
submissions at www.regulations.gov, please contact Yvonne Jamison, 
TPSC, at (202) 395-3475, to arrange for an alternative method of 
transmission.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning 
written comments, contact Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475. All other 
questions should be directed to Greg Schoepfle, Director, Office of 
Economic and Labor Research, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, 
U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20210, telephone (202) 693-4887 or Lewis Karesh, Assistant United 
States Trade Representative for Labor, Office of the United States 
Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20508, 
telephone (202) 395-3330.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    On November 5, 2015, consistent with Trade Promotion Authority 
(Title I of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and 
Accountability Act of 2015, Pub. L. 114-26) (19 U.S.C. 4201 et seq.) 
(``the Act''), the President notified Congress of his intent to enter 
into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement. Also on November 5, 
2015, USTR requested that the U.S. International Trade Commission 
(USITC) prepare a report as specified in section 105(c)(2)-(3) of the 
Act assessing the likely impact of the TPP Agreement on the U.S. 
economy as a whole and on specific industry sectors and the interests 
of U.S. consumers. On

[[Page 80876]]

November 17, 2015, the USITC announced that it was instituting an 
investigation of the likely impact of the TPP Agreement on the U.S. 
economy as a whole and on specific industry sectors and the interests 
of U.S. consumers.

2. Employment Impact Review

    Section 105(d)(2) of the Act directs the President to ``(A) review 
the impact of future trade agreements on United States employment, 
including labor markets, modeled after Executive Order No. 13141 (64 FR 
63169) to the extent appropriate in establishing procedures and 
criteria; and (B) submit a report on such reviews to the Committee on 
Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Finance of the Senate at the time the President submits to Congress a 
copy of the final legal text of an agreement pursuant to section 
106(a)(1)(E).'' USTR and DOL are conducting the employment impact 
review through the TPSC.
    Comments may be submitted on potentially significant sectoral or 
regional employment impacts in the United States as well as other 
likely labor market impacts of the TPP Agreement. Persons submitting 
comments should provide as much detail as possible in support of their 
submissions.

3. Requirements for Submissions

    Persons submitting written comments must do so in English and must 
identify (on the first page of the submission) ``TPP Employment Impact 
Review.''
    In order to ensure the timely receipt and consideration of 
comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to make on-line 
submissions, using the www.regulations.gov Web site. To submit comments 
via www.regulations.gov, enter docket number USTR-2015-0012 on the home 
page and click ``search.'' The site will provide a search-results page 
listing all documents associated with this docket. Find a reference to 
this notice and click on the link entitled ``Comment Now!'' (For 
further information on using the www.regulations.gov Web site, please 
consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on ``How to 
Use This Site'' on the left side of the home page.)
    The www.regulations.gov Web site allows users to provide comments 
by filling in a ``Type Comment'' field, or by attaching a document 
using an ``Upload File'' field. USTR prefers that comments be provided 
in an attached document. If a document is attached, it is sufficient to 
type ``See attached'' in the ``Type Comment'' field. USTR prefers 
submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the 
submission is in an application other than those two, please indicate 
the name of the application in the ``Type Comment'' field.
    For any comments submitted electronically containing business 
confidential information, the file name of the business confidential 
version should begin with the characters ``BC.'' Any page containing 
business confidential information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS 
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page. Filers of submissions 
containing business confidential information must also submit a public 
version of their comments. The file name of the public version should 
begin with the character ``P.'' The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed 
by the name of the person or entity submitting the comments. Filers 
submitting comments containing no business confidential information 
should name their file using the name of the person or entity 
submitting the comments.
    Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic 
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a 
cover letter in the comments themselves. Similarly, to the extent 
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in 
the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files.
    As noted above, USTR strongly urges submitters to file comments 
through www.regulations.gov, if at all possible. Any alternative 
arrangements must be made with Yvonne Jamison in advance of 
transmitting the comment. Ms. Jamison should be contacted at (202) 395-
3475. General information concerning USTR is available at www.ustr.gov.
    Comments will be placed in the docket and open to public 
inspection, except business confidential information. Comments may be 
viewed on the www.regulations.gov Web site by entering the relevant 
docket number in the search field on the home page.

Edward Gresser,
Acting Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2015-32294 Filed 12-24-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F6-P