[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 150 (Tuesday, August 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47245-47246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16854]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
[Agency Docket Number DOL-2020-0005]
Request for Comments for Dominican Republic-Central America-
United States Free Trade Agreement (``CAFTA-DR'') Report
AGENCY: Bureau of International Labor Affairs, United States Department
of Labor and Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Request for comments from the public.
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SUMMARY: This notice is a request for comments from the public to
assist the Secretary of Labor and the United States Trade
Representative 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 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 January 1, 2016, through
February 29, 2020. Public comments received in response to the November
21, 2017, Federal Register Notice soliciting input on labor capacity-
building efforts under the CAFTA-DR will be taken under consideration
for this upcoming report.
Public comments should be submitted electronically to
www.regulations.gov, the Federal e-rulemaking portal. Comments may also
be submitted by postal or electronic mail to Giorleny Altamirano Rayo,
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 protected]. Comments
that are mailed must be received by the date indicated for
consideration. Also, please note that due to security concerns, postal
delivery in Washington, DC, may be delayed. Therefore, in order to
ensure that comments receive full consideration, the Department
encourages the public to submit comments via the internet as indicated
above. Please submit only one copy of your comments by only one method.
Also, please be advised that comments received will become a matter of
public record and will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. The
Department cautions commenters not to include personal information,
such as Social Security Numbers, personal addresses, telephone numbers,
and email addresses in their comments as such information will become
viewable by the public on the http://www.regulations.gov website. It is
each commenter's responsibility to safeguard his or her information.
Comments submitted through http://www.regulations.gov will not include
the commenter's email address unless the commenter chooses to include
that information as part of his or her comment. If you are unable to
provide submissions by either of these means, please contact Giorleny
Altamirano Rayo (202-693-4868) to arrange for an alternative method of
submission.
DATES: Written comments are due no later than 5 p.m. (ET) September 3,
2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Giorleny Altamirano Rayo, 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:
202-693-4868.
SUPPLEMENTAL 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 2020. 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
[[Page 47246]]
(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
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.
3. Requirements for Submission
Persons submitting comments must do so in English and must make the
following note on the first page of their submissions: ``Comments
regarding the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act.'' In order to be assured
consideration, comments should be submitted by 5 p.m. (ET), September
3, 2020. The Department of Labor encourages commenters to make on-line
submissions using the www.regulations.gov website. When entering this
site, enter ``Request for Comments on Labor Capacity-Building Efforts
Under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade
Agreement'' on the home page search bar 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 website, please consult the resources provided on
the website by clicking on ``How to Use This Site'' (found on the
bottom of the home page under ``Help'').)
The www.regulations.gov website allows users to provide comments by
filling in a ``Type Comment field,'' or by attaching a document using
an ``Upload File'' field. The Department prefers that uploaded
submissions be 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.
Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a
cover letter in the submission itself. Similarly, to the extent
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in
the same file as the submission itself and not as separate files.
As noted, the Department strongly urges submitters to file comments
through the www.regulations.gov website.
Comments will be open to public inspection. Comments may be viewed
on the www.regulations.gov website.
Authority: The authority for this notice is granted by the
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and the Executive
Order No. 13889 of September 27, 2019.
Martha E. Newton,
Deputy Undersecretary, Bureau of International Labor Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2020-16854 Filed 8-3-20; 8:45 am]
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