[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19283-19284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07499]



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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-227]


Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act: Impact on U.S. Industries 
and Consumers and on Beneficiary Countries

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of preparation of 2021 biennial report and scheduling of 
a public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Commission has scheduled a public hearing for June 8, 
2021, and is inviting the public to submit information in connection 
with the preparation of its 25th report under section 215 of the 
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, which requires the Commission to 
report biennially to the Congress and the President by September 30 of 
each reporting year on the economic impact of the Act on U.S. 
industries and U.S. consumers and on the economy of the beneficiary 
countries. The report is being prepared under Commission Investigation 
No. 332-227, Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act: Impact on U.S. 
Industries and Consumers and on Beneficiary Countries. The report will 
cover trade during calendar years 2019 and 2020, and the report will be 
transmitted to the Congress and the President by September 30, 2021.

DATES: 
    May 18, 2021: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public 
hearing.
    May 25, 2021: Deadline for filing prehearing briefs and statements.
    June 1, 2021: Deadline for filing electronic copies of oral hearing 
statements.
    June 8, 2021: Public hearing.
    June 22, 2021: Deadline for filing posthearing briefs and 
statements.
    June 22, 2021: Deadline for filing all other written submissions.
    September 30, 2021: Transmittal of Commission report to the 
Congress and the President.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 
500 E Street SW, Washington, DC. All written submissions must be 
submitted electronically and addressed to the Secretary, U.S. 
International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. 
The Commission cannot accept paper copies at this time. The public 
record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's 
electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader Justino De La Cruz, 
Ph.D. (202-205-3252 or [email protected]) or Deputy Project 
Leader Serge Shikher (202-205-2393 or [email protected]) for 
information specific to this investigation. For information on the 
legal aspects of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the 
Commission's Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or 
[email protected]). The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or 
[email protected]). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also 
be obtained by accessing its website at https://www.usitc.gov. Due to 
the COVID 19 pandemic, the Commission's building is currently closed to 
the public. Once the building reopens, persons with mobility 
impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the 
Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.
    Background: Section 215(a)(1) of the Caribbean Basin Economic 
Recovery Act (CBERA) (19 U.S.C. 2704(a)(1)) requires that the 
Commission submit biennial reports to the Congress and the President 
regarding the economic impact of the Act on U.S. industries and 
consumers, and on the economy of the beneficiary countries. Section 
215(b)(1) requires that the reports include, but not be limited to, an 
assessment regarding:
    (A) The actual effect, during the period covered by the report, of 
[CBERA] on the United States economy generally, as well as on those 
specific domestic industries which produce articles that are like, or 
directly competitive with, articles being imported into the United 
States from beneficiary countries; and
    (B) the probable future effect which this Act will have on the 
United States economy generally, as well as on such domestic 
industries, before the provisions of this Act terminate.
    The report will cover trade with the 17 beneficiary countries: 
Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British 
Virgin Islands, Cura[ccedil]ao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, 
Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and 
the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
    Notice of institution of the investigation was published in the 
Federal Register of May 14, 1986 (51 FR 17678). The Commission plans to 
transmit the 25th report, covering calendar years 2019 and 2020, by 
September 30, 2021.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this 
investigation will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. on June 8, 2021, 
using a videoconference platform. More detailed information about the 
hearing, including how to participate, will be posted on the 
Commission's website at (https://usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/what_we_are_working_on.htm). Once on that web page, scroll down to the 
entry for Investigation No. 332-227, Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery 
Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers and on Beneficiary 
Countries, and click on the link to ``Hearing Information.'' Interested 
parties should check the Commission's website periodically for updates.
    Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed with the 
Secretary no later than 5:15 p.m., May 18, 2021, in accordance with the 
requirements in the ``Written Submissions'' section below. All 
prehearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 
p.m., May 25, 2021. To facilitate the hearing, including the 
preparation of an accurate written transcript of the hearing, oral 
testimony to be presented at the hearing must be submitted to the 
Commission electronically no later than noon, June 1, 2021. All 
posthearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 
p.m., June 22, 2021. Posthearing briefs and statements should address 
matters raised at the hearing. For a description of the different types 
of written briefs and statements, see the ``Definitions'' section 
below.
    In the event that, as of the close of business on May 18, 2021, no 
witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be 
canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an observer 
or nonparticipant should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-
205-2000 after May 18, 2021, for information concerning whether the 
hearing will be held.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in 
the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written submissions 
concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be 
addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later than 5:15 
p.m., June 22, 2021. All written submissions must conform to the 
provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure (19 CFR 201.8), as temporarily amended by 85 FR 15798 (March 
19, 2020). Under that rule waiver, the Office of the Secretary will 
accept only electronic filings at this

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time. Filings must be made through the Commission's Electronic Document 
Information System (EDIS, https://edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paper-
based filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be 
accepted until further notice. Persons with questions regarding 
electronic filing should contact the Office of the Secretary, Docket 
Services Division (202-205-1802), or consult the Commission's Handbook 
on Filing Procedures.
    Definitions of Types of Documents That May Be Filed; Requirements: 
In addition to requests to appear at the hearing, this notice provides 
for the possible filing of four types of documents: Prehearing briefs, 
oral hearing statements, posthearing briefs, and other written 
submissions.
    (1) Prehearing briefs refers to written materials relevant to the 
investigation and submitted in advance of the hearing, and includes 
written views on matters that are the subject of the investigation, 
supporting materials, and any other written materials that you consider 
will help the Commission in understanding your views. You should file a 
prehearing brief particularly if you plan to testify at the hearing on 
behalf of an industry group, company, or other organization, and wish 
to provide detailed views or information that will support or 
supplement your testimony.
    (2) Oral hearing statements (testimony) refers to the actual oral 
statement that you intend to present at the public hearing. Do not 
include any confidential business information in that statement. If you 
plan to testify, you must file a copy of your oral statement by the 
date specified in this notice. This statement will allow Commissioners 
to understand your position in advance of the hearing and will also 
assist the court reporter in preparing an accurate transcript of the 
hearing (e.g., names spelled correctly).
    (3) Posthearing briefs refers to submissions filed after the 
hearing by persons who appeared at the hearing. Such briefs: (a) Should 
be limited to matters that arose during the hearing, (b) should respond 
to any Commissioner and staff questions addressed to you at the 
hearing, (c) should clarify, amplify, or correct any statements you 
made at the hearing, and (d) may, at your option, address or rebut 
statements made by other participants in the hearing.
    (4) Other written submissions refer to any other written 
submissions that interested persons wish to make, regardless of whether 
they appeared at the hearing, and may include new information or 
updates of information previously provided.
    There is no standard format that briefs or other written 
submissions must follow. However, each such document must identify on 
its cover (1) the name and number of the investigation and the type of 
document filed (i.e., prehearing brief, oral statement of (name), 
posthearing brief, or written submission), (2) the name of the person 
or organization filing it, and (3) whether it contains confidential 
business information (CBI). If it contains CBI, it must comply with the 
marking and other requirements set out below in this notice relating to 
CBI. Submitters of written documents (other than oral hearing 
statements) are encouraged to include a short summary of their position 
or interest at the beginning of the document, and a table of contents 
when the document addresses multiple issues.
    Confidential Business Information: Any submissions that contain 
confidential business information must also conform to the requirements 
of section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure 
(19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the cover of 
the document and the individual pages be clearly marked as to whether 
they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-confidential'' version, and that 
the confidential business information is clearly identified by means of 
brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business 
information, will be made available for inspection by interested 
parties.
    The Commission intends to prepare a report that it can release to 
the public in its entirety, and the Commission will not include any 
confidential business information in the report it sends to the 
Congress and the President or makes available to the public. However, 
all information, including confidential business information, submitted 
in this investigation may be disclosed to and used: (i) By the 
Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract personnel (a) for 
developing or maintaining the records of this or a related proceeding, 
or (b) in internal investigations, audits, reviews, and evaluations 
relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission 
including under 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government 
employees and contract personnel for cybersecurity purposes. The 
Commission will not otherwise disclose any confidential business 
information in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm 
supplying the information.
    Summaries Of Written Submissions: Persons wishing to have a summary 
of their position included in the report should include a summary with 
their written submission on or before June 22, 2021 and should mark the 
summary as having been provided for that purpose. The summary should be 
clearly marked as ``summary for inclusion in the report'' at the top of 
the page. The summary may not exceed 500 words, should be in MS Word 
format or a format that can be easily converted to MS Word, and should 
not include any confidential business information. The summary will be 
published as provided if it meets these requirements and is germane to 
the subject matter of the investigation. The Commission will list the 
name of the organization furnishing the summary and will include a link 
to the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS) where 
the written submission can be found.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: April 7, 2021.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2021-07499 Filed 4-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P