[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 17, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71606-71607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22899]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

[Agency Docket Number DOL-2023-0008]


Request for Comments for Dominican Republic-Central America-
United States Free Trade Agreement (``CAFTA-DR'') Report

AGENCY: The Bureau of International Labor Affairs, United States 
Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice; request for information and invitation to comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice is a request for comments from the public to 
assist the Secretary of Labor in preparing a report on labor capacity-
building efforts under Chapter 16 (``the Labor Chapter'') and Annex 
16.5 of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade 
Agreement (``CAFTA-DR''). Comments are also welcomed on efforts made by 
the CAFTA-DR countries to implement the labor obligations under the 
Labor Chapter and the recommendations contained in a paper entitled 
``The Labor Dimension in Central America and the Dominican Republic--
Building on Progress: Strengthening Compliance and Enhancing Capacity'' 
(the ``White

[[Page 71607]]

Paper''). This report is required under the Dominican Republic-Central 
America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (CAFTA-DR 
Implementation Act). The reporting function and the responsibility for 
soliciting public comments required under this Act were assigned to the 
Secretary of Labor in consultation with the United States Trade 
Representative (USTR). The upcoming report will consolidate reporting 
periods to cover February 29, 2020, through October 31, 2023. As this 
is the final iteration of this report, DOL is also accepting comments 
on the implementation of labor obligations in all six countries under 
the Labor Chapter of CAFTA-DR since the White Paper was initially 
published in April 2005.

DATES: Written comments may be provided in English or Spanish and are 
due no later than 5 p.m. (ET) November 16, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments with the subject line `CAFTA-DR 
Labor Report' to Sarah Casson at the Division of Monitoring and 
Enforcement, Office of Trade and Labor Affairs, Bureau of International 
Labor Affairs, DOL by email to [email protected].
    508 Compliance: Pursuant to section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended. Section 508 became enforceable on 
June 21, 2001, and the Revised 508 standards issued by the United 
States Access Board (36 CFR part 1194), January 2018 require that 
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) procured, developed, 
maintained, and used by Federal departments and agencies is accessible 
to and usable by Federal employees and members of the public including 
people with disabilities. All documents received in electronic format 
must be accessible using assistive technologies such as a screen 
reader, e.g., Job Aid with Speech (JAWS), NonVisual Desktop Access 
(NVDA), ZoomText, to name a few. The product should also be navigable 
using other means such as a keyboard or voice commands. Accessible 
document formats are either Microsoft Word or equivalent and Portable 
Document Format with OCR.
    The Department of Labor requests that your submissions through the 
portal comply with our DOL Policies as well as the 508 Standards as 
referenced above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Casson, Advisor, Office of Trade 
and Labor Affairs, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room S-5006, 
Washington, DC 20210. Email: [email protected], Telephone: 202-693-
2960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background Information

    During the legislative approval process for the CAFTA-DR, the 
Administration and the Congress reached an understanding on the need to 
support labor capacity-building efforts linked to recommendations 
identified in the ``White Paper'' of the Working Group of the Vice 
Ministers Responsible for Trade and Labor in the countries of Central 
America and the Dominican Republic. CAFTA-DR-specific trade capacity-
building funds were appropriated through fiscal year 2010, and 
subsequently the Bureau of International Labor Affairs used its own 
appropriation to support technical assistance projects in CAFTA-DR 
partner countries through fiscal year 2023. For more information, see 
the full text of the CAFTA-DR at https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/cafta-dr-dominican-republic-central-america-fta/final-text and the ``White Paper'' at http://www.sice.oas.org/labor/white%20paper_e.pdf.
    Under section 403(a) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. 
4111(a), the President must report biennially to the Congress on the 
progress made by the CAFTA-DR countries in implementing the labor 
obligations and the labor capacity-building provisions found in the 
Labor Chapter and in Annex 16.5, and in implementing the 
recommendations contained in the ``White Paper.'' Section 403(a)(4) 
requires that the President establish a mechanism to solicit public 
comments on the matters described in section 403(a)(3)(D) of the CAFTA-
DR Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. 4111(a)(4) (listed below in 2).
    By Proclamation, the President delegated the reporting function and 
the responsibility for soliciting public comments under section 403(a) 
of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. 4111(a), to the Secretary 
of Labor, in consultation with the USTR (Proclamation No. 8272, 73 FR 
38,297 (June 30, 2008)). This notice serves to request public comments 
as required by this section.

2. The Department of Labor Is Seeking Comments on the Following Topics 
as Required Under Section 403(a)(3)(D) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation 
Act

    a. Capacity-building efforts by the United States government 
envisaged by Article 16.5 of the CAFTA-DR Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5;
    b. Efforts by the United States government to facilitate full 
implementation of the ``White Paper'' recommendations and other matters 
related to the CAFTA-DR Labor Chapter; and
    c. Efforts made by the CAFTA-DR countries to comply with Article 
16.5 of the Labor Chapter and Annex 16.5 and to fully implement the 
``White Paper'' recommendations, including progress made by the CAFTA-
DR countries in affording to workers internationally recognized worker 
rights through improved capacity.
    Authority: 22 U.S.C. 7112(b)(2)(C) & (D) and 19 U.S.C. 2464; 
Executive Order 13126.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 11th day of October, 2023.
Thea Lee,
Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2023-22899 Filed 10-16-23; 8:45 am]
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