The social spending and climate response bill known as Build Back Better has been scaled back to satisfy concerns of two Senate moderate Democrats, and as a result, many of the original pay-fors are gone, including a limitation on tobacco drawback and a plan to tax the nicotine in vaping cartridges.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the Oct. 8 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent or other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):
Shenzhen Smoore Technology seeks a limited exclusion order banning imports of oil-vaping cartridges from some 40 companies that allegedly infringe its patents and trademarks, it told the International Trade Commission in a Section 337 complaint filed Oct. 4. Smoore says the companies are importing low quality copies of its atomizers, cartridges, mouthpieces, vaporizers and vaping products using uncertified raw materials and manufactured by unidentified, shady and uncertified suppliers. The cartridges used with the vaporizers are filled with cannabidiol (CBD) or Marinol (THC) or a combination of both. Smoore also seeks cease and desist orders against the allegedly infringing companies. Comments are due to the ITC by Oct. 18.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., says that although his initial list of pay-fors did not include any taxes on tobacco, he thinks the House Ways and Means Committee proposal is worthy of being included on what he called "a menu of options" to give Democratic senators choices. "I happen to think that this is an important idea, they're talking, I gather, at e-cigarettes," he said during a Capitol hallway interview.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., says that although his initial list of pay-fors did not include any taxes on tobacco, he thinks the House Ways and Means Committee proposal is worthy of being included on what he called "a menu of options" to give Democratic senators choices. "I happen to think that this is an important idea, they're talking, I gather, at e-cigarettes," he said during a Capitol hallway interview.
The ability to eliminate excise taxes on tobacco products through substitution drawback would end if the tax legislation the House Ways and Means Committee is considering becomes law. The U.S. considers this sort of drawback "double drawback," because the substitute exported product was never subject to excise taxes, and that is how the committee characterized it. "This provision stops the practice of double drawbacks for tobacco products by making exports that are not subject to excise tax ineligible for a drawback claim," the summary says.
The Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) was updated July 2 with the following headquarters rulings (ruling revocations and modifications will be detailed elsewhere in a separate article as they are announced in the Customs Bulletin):
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Jan. 25 (some may also be given separate headlines):
The Consumer Product Safety Commission warned consumers Friday not to buy or use loose 18650 lithium-ion battery cells, saying they can short-circuit, resulting in explosion or fire. The specified cells are manufactured as industrial component parts of battery packs, don't have protection circuits and aren't intended for individual sale to consumers, but they're being separated, rewrapped and sold as new consumer batteries, typically on the internet, said CPSC. Rechargeable lithium cells without proper protection that aren't installed in a device or as part of an integral battery may have exposed metal positive and negative terminals that can short-circuit when they come into contact with metal objects, such as keys or loose change in a pocket, it said. Once shorted, loose cells can overheat and experience "thermal runaway, igniting the cell’s internal materials and forcibly expelling burning contents, resulting in fires, explosions, serious injuries and even death," it said. Thermal runaway can also occur in loose cells if consumers use them in inappropriate chargers that allow charging beyond the cell’s specifications, CPSC warned. A growing number of small consumer products, such as vaping devices, personal fans, headlamps and some toys, use loose 18650s as a power source, it said. CPSC is working with e-commerce sites, including eBay, to remove listings for loose cells.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission warned consumers Friday not to buy or use loose 18650 lithium-ion battery cells, saying they can short-circuit, resulting in explosion or fire. The specified cells are manufactured as industrial component parts of battery packs, don't have protection circuits and aren't intended for individual sale to consumers, but they're being separated, rewrapped and sold as new consumer batteries, typically on the internet, said CPSC. Rechargeable lithium cells without proper protection that aren't installed in a device or as part of an integral battery may have exposed metal positive and negative terminals that can short-circuit when they come into contact with metal objects, such as keys or loose change in a pocket, it said. Once shorted, loose cells can overheat and experience "thermal runaway, igniting the cell’s internal materials and forcibly expelling burning contents, resulting in fires, explosions, serious injuries and even death," it said. Thermal runaway can also occur in loose cells if consumers use them in inappropriate chargers that allow charging beyond the cell’s specifications, CPSC warned. A growing number of small consumer products, such as vaping devices, personal fans, headlamps and some toys, use loose 18650s as a power source, it said. CPSC is working with e-commerce sites, including eBay, to remove listings for loose cells.