New regs for Friday: Passports, temporary exports, Yemen

Friday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new rules from the Department of State for issuing passports, a Census Bureau amendment to foreign trade regulations, an extension from the Drug Enforcement Agency in listing synthetic pot as a Scheduled 1 drug and a national emergency declaration for Yemen.

Here’s what is happening.

Passports: The Department of State is moving forward with a rule that would give the agency the authority to issue passports to officials or employees of a state, local, tribal, or territorial government traveling abroad to carry out official duties that support the U.S. government.

{mosads}Citing the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force as an example, the Department of State said the federal government often utilizes state, local, tribal and territorial government employees and officials for federal activities both domestically and abroad.

“When required to travel internationally in support of such federal activities, these individuals are not currently eligible for official passports,” the agency said in its rule-making. “Issuance of an official passport to such individuals signifies to foreign governments that they are carrying out official duties in support of the U.S. government.”

Activities these officials take on, the agency said are often of pressing national security, law enforcement or humanitarian importance, and occur with little advance notice.

The rule will take effect in 60 days.

Temporary exports: The Census Bureau issued a final rule amending the foreign trade regulations to eliminate the reporting requirement for temporary exports, including Carnets and goods previously imported on a temporary import bonds.

Carnets are international customs and temporary export-import documents that are used to clear customs without paying duties and import taxes on merchandise that will be re-exported within 12 months.

The rule will take effect immediately.

Synthetic pot: The Drug Enforcement Administration is extending a temporary action that places synthetic pot on the list of Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act.

On Thursday, the administration proposed a rule that would permanently add the drugs, first temporarily listed in 2013, to the list. Because the temporary listing expires on May 15, the DEA needs to extend the action while finalizing its permanent rule.

The action leaves commercially grown synthetic cannabis the list of the most dangerous drugs alongside heroin, marijuana, LSD and ecstasy.

The rule will take effect immediately.

Yemen: President Obama issued a notice to extend the national emergency declaration with respect to Yemen.

The actions and policies of certain members of the government of Yemen and others in threatening Yemen’s peace, security and stability continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States

The declaration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, first issued in 2012, was set to expire on May 16.