The United States International Trade Commission rescheduled to March 18, 2010, its public hearing in Washington, D.C., on barriers to exporting that small and medium-sized enterprises face. The hearing initially was scheduled for Feb. 9-10, but was cancelled when a severe snowstorm forced the federal government to shut down its activities for several days. Hearings on the same subject scheduled for St. Louis, Mo., on March 10, 2010, and Portland, Ore., on March 12, 2010, remain the same as previously announced.
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The Washington hearings, which will be held at the Commission?s building at 500 E Street, S.W., beginning at 9:30 a.m., are part of two investigations — ?Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: U.S. and EU Export Activities, and Barriers and Opportunities Experienced by U.S. Firms,? and ?Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Characteristics and Performance.? They are the second and third, respectively, of three investigations that the Commission is conducting at the request of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the country?s point person on international trade. All three investigations are in line with the Obama administration?s push to engage more of the country?s small and medium-sized businesses in exporting.??
A report on the first investigation, ?Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Overview of Participation in U.S. Exports,? was published on Jan. 12 and is available at www.usitc.gov. The Commission is scheduled to deliver its reports to the USTR on the second and third investigations by July 6, 2010, and October 6, 2010, respectively. Those who wish to appear at the March 18 hearing must file requests to appear, or confirm earlier requests to appear, according to the following deadlines:
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March 8, 5:15 p.m.: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the Washington hearing.
March 10: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs, statements, or summaries, Washington hearing.
March 26: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and statements for the Washington hearing.
Key Contacts
Written submissions. These should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street S.W., Washington, D.C., 20436.
Information specific to the investigations. Project Leaders Justino De La Cruz. 202-205-3252, justino.delacruz@usitc.gov; or William Deese, 202-205-2626, william.deese@usitc.gov.
Legal aspects of the investigations. William Gearhart, Office of the General Counsel, 202-205-3091, william.gearhart@usitc.gov.
Media. Margaret O?Laughlin, Office of External Relations, 202-205-1819, margaret.olaughlin@usitc.gov.
Hearing-impaired individuals. TDD terminal, 202-205-1810.
Persons with mobility impairments. Office of the Secretary, 202-205-2000.
Additional instructions and contacts for the investigations may be obtained at www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.
