[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