Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Amended Notice of Implementation of Additional Duties on Products of the People’s Republic of China

On February 12, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection published in the Federal Register (90 FR 9431) Amended Notice of Implementation of Additional Duties on Products of the People’s Republic of China Pursuant to the President’s February 1, 2025 Executive Order Imposing Duties To Address the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China.

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Monday is Washington's Birthday

Monday, February 17, 2025, is a federal holiday in the United States honoring George Washington's birthday. Government offices, banks, and some businesses will be closed in observance of the holiday which is annually celebrated on the third Monday in February. Because the date typically falls between the actual calendar date birthdays of presidents Washington and Lincoln, it is commonly called "Presidents Day," although the official designation is "Washington's Birthday."

"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop." -- George Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796.

Poor George, both revered and kicked around by us. He was born February 11th but when he was 20 Britain and her colonies finally caught up with Catholic Europe by switching to the Gregorian Calendar, moving his birthday to the 22nd of the month. Then, starting in 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 moved the official celebration of his birth to the third Monday in February. In popular parlance we slight our first President by neglecting the legal name of the holiday, WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY and refer to it as a generic "Presidents’ Day."

We likewise neglect Washington's sage warning against entangling foreign alliances. Even in our commercial relations our leaders, not content merely to trade with the rest of the world, have entered into binding agreements restricting our ability to control our own commerce, to encourage domestic manufacturing, or even to protect our citizens from unsafe products.

On November 5, 2024, the American people finally said, "Enough," and elected a President who promised to put the interest of the American people first. President Donald J. Trump has begun fulfilling that promise. Below are some Presidential actions putting America first, with citations of publication in the Federal Register and excerpts from the actions.

Executive Order 14199 of February 4, 2025, Withdrawing the United States From and Ending Funding to Certain United Nations Organizations and Reviewing United States Support to All International Organizations (90 FR 9275, February 10, 2025).

"Three UN organizations that deserve renewed scrutiny are the UNHRC; the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)."

Executive Order 14162 of January 20, 2025, Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements (90 FR 8455, January 30, 2025).

"In recent years, the United States has purported to join international agreements and initiatives that do not reflect our country’s values or our contributions to the pursuit of economic and environmental objectives. Moreover, these agreements steer American taxpayer dollars to countries that do not require, or merit, financial assistance in the interests of the American people." "The United States Ambassador to the United Nations shall immediately submit formal written notification of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The notice shall be submitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Depositary of the Agreement, attached as Appendix A. The United States will consider its withdrawal from the Agreement and any attendant obligations to be effective immediately upon this provision of notification."

Executive Order 14169 of January 20, 2025, Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid (90 FR 8619, January 30, 2025).

"The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values. They serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries."

Executive Order 14150 of January 20, 2025, America First Policy Directive to the Secretary of State (90 FR 8337, January 29, 2025).

"From this day forward, the foreign policy of the United States shall champion core American interests and always put America and American citizens first."

Executive Order 14155 of January 20, 2025, Withdrawing the United States From the World Health Organization (90 FR 8361, January 29, 2025).

"The United States noticed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020 due to the organization’s mishandling of the COVID–19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states. In addition, the WHO continues to demand unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries’ assessed payments. China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 300 percent of the population of the United States, yet contributes nearly 90 percent less to the WHO."

PROMISES MADE. PROMISES KEPT.

Men’s and Women’s White Jumper Contract Awarded

February 10, 2025, Bernard Cap LLC,* Hialeah, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $8,966,974 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for men’s and women’s white jumpers. This was a competitive acquisition with seven responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. The ordering period end date is Feb. 9, 2030. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2025 through 2030 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-25-D-0037).

*Small business

Sunday, February 9, 2025

TravisMathew Recalls Women’s Sweatshirts and Men’s and Women’s Hoodies Due to Burn Hazard; Violation of Federal Flammability Regulation for Clothing

This recall involves TravisMathew adult women’s half-zip sweatshirts and women’s and men’s full-zip and no-zip hoodies in various colors and styles, including: women’s Chance Encounter Half-Zip Sweatshirts (Heather Copen Blue, Heather Mauve Shadows), women’s Save the Day Half-Zip Sweatshirts (Heather Natural, Heather Winetasting), women’s Off Script Zip-Up Hoodies (Heather Light Gray, Heather Crown Blue), men’s Cloud Hoodies (LAD Black, NYY Heather Gray, BRS Heather Gray, CHC Heather Gray, USC Black, USC Heather Gray), men’s In the Rain Hoodies (Black, Heather Gray), men’s Cloud Hoodie 2.0s (Black, Moonbeam, Dark Olive, Ash Blue, Mood Indigo), and men’s Abject Lesson Hoodies (Black, Heather Gray). Some of the hoodies have sports, brands or beer company logos. They were sold in sizes S to XXL. A neck label lists “TRAVISMATHEW”, the size, and “MADE IN PERU”. The front of the side-seam label lists the fiber content, “RN123280”, “CA07099” and “MADE IN PERU”. The back of the side seam label lists washing instructions and batch code information.

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled garments immediately and contact TravisMathew for a full refund or store credit for the original purchase price. Consumers will be asked to destroy the garments by cutting them in half and disposing of them. Consumers must send a photo of the destroyed garment and sewn-in garment tag to info@travismathew.com. Upon receipt of the photo, consumers will receive a full refund or store credit at the purchase price.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Sold At: TravisMathew and independent clothing and golf course stores nationwide and online at TravisMathew.com and other websites from January 2024 through October 2024 for between $130 and $180.

Importer(s): TravisMathew LLC, of Huntington Beach, California

Manufactured In: Peru

Recall number: 25-118

More information and photos HERE.

Friday, February 7, 2025

Cold Weather Sock Contract Awarded

February 6, 2025, FRM Socks LLC, doing business as Fox River Mills, Osage, Iowa, has been awarded a maximum $11,796,375 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for cold weather socks system. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. The ordering period end date is Feb. 5, 2028. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2025 through 2028 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-25-D-0038).

Low Melt Polyester Staple Fiber From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2022–2023

On February 7, 2025, the International Trade Administration published in the Federal Register (90 FR 9134) Low Melt Polyester Staple Fiber From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2022–2023.

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Eight Defendants Arrested on Federal Grand Jury Indictment Alleging Large-Scale Smuggling Scheme from China through L.A.-Area Ports

Investigators seized more than $130 million in contraband, and the organization is believed to be responsible for smuggling at least $200 million worth of goods. According to the indictment, a search of one warehouse used by the group led to the seizure in June 2024 of $20 million worth of counterfeit items including shoes, perfume, luxury handbags, apparel and watches.

Full press release HERE