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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 18 / Friday, January 29, 2021 / Notices
Deputy Project Leader Isaac Wohl 202
2053356 or isaac.wohl@usitc.gov for information specific to this investigation. For information on the legal aspects of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commissions Office of the General Counsel 2022053091 or william.gearhart@usitc.gov. The media should contact Margaret OLaughlin, Office of External Relations 202205
1819 or margaret.olaughlin@usitc.gov.
Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain information on this matter by contacting the Commissions TDD
terminal at 2022051810. General information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its website https www.usitc.gov. Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 2022052000.
Background: The Committee requested the investigation and report pursuant to section 332g of the Tariff Act of 1930 19 U.S.C. 1332g. As requested by the Committee, the Commission will deliver the requested report no later than 18 months from the date of the letter that is, by July 5, 2022, and in view of the fact the Committee intends to make the report available to the public in its entirety, the Commission will not include any confidential business information in its report.
In its letter the Committee defined censorship as the prohibition or suppression of speech or other forms of communication, and stated that foreign governments use many tools to carry out censorship, including technological measures that restrict digital trade. The Committee said that these tools, and the policies that enable them, allow authorities in foreign markets to limit speech by controlling the flow of information and services.
More specifically, the Committee asked that the Commission conduct an investigation and prepare a report, informed by a survey of businesses in the United States, that provides detailed information, including the following:
1. Identification and descriptions of various foreign censorship practices, in particular any examples that U.S.
businesses consider to impede trade or investment in key foreign markets. The description should include to the extent practicable:
a. The evolution of censorship policies and practices over the past 5
years in key foreign markets;
b. any elements that entail extraterritorial censorship; and
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c. the roles of governmental and nongovernmental actors in implementation and enforcement of the practices.
2. To the extent practicable, including through the use of survey data, an analysis of the trade and economic effects of such policies and practices on affected businesses in the United States and their global operations. The analysis should include to the extent practicable, quantitative and qualitative impacts of the identified policies, including by reference, where identifiable, to:
a. Impact on employment;
b. direct costs e.g., compliance and entry costs;
c. foregone revenue and sales;
d. self-censorship; and e. other effects the Commission considers relevant for the Committee to know.
Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this investigation will be held either in the Commissions main hearing room in its building at 500 E
Street SW, Washington, DC, or via an online videoconferencing platform, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on September 14, 2021. More information will follow closer to the time of the hearing about whether the hearing will be held in person or by videoconference.
Information about how to participate in or view the hearing will be posted on the Commissions website at https
usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/what_
we_are_working_on.htm. Once on that web page, scroll down to the entry for Investigation No. 332585, Foreign Censorship: Trade and Economic Effects on U.S. Businesses, and click on the link to Hearing Instructions. Interested parties should check the Commissions website periodically for updates.
Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary no later than 5:15 p.m., August 24, 2021, in accordance with the requirements in the Written Submissions section below. All prehearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., September 2, 2021. To facilitate the hearing, including the preparation of an accurate written transcript of the hearing, oral testimony to be presented at the hearing must be submitted to the Commission electronically no later than noon, September 7, 2021. All posthearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., September 21, 2021. Posthearing briefs and statements should address matters raised at the hearing. For a description of the different types of written briefs and statements, see the Definitions section below.
In the event that, as of the close of business on August 24, 2021, no
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witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled.
Any person interested in attending the hearing as an observer or nonparticipant should contact the Office of the Secretary at 2022052000 after August 24, 2021, for information concerning whether the hearing will be held.
Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written submissions concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later than 5:15 p.m., October 1, 2021. All written submissions must conform to the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commissions Rules of Practice and Procedure 19 CFR 201.8, as temporarily amended by 85 FR 15798
March 19, 2020. Under that rule waiver, the Office of the Secretary will accept only electronic filings at this time. Filings must be made through the Commissions Electronic Document Information System EDIS, https
edis.usitc.gov. No in-person paperbased filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until further notice. Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Office of the Secretary, Docket Services Division 202205
1802, or consult the Commissions Handbook on Filing Procedures.
Definitions of Types of Documents That May Be Filed; Requirements: In addition to requests to appear at the hearing, this notice provides for the possible filing of four types of documents: Prehearing briefs, oral hearing statements, posthearing briefs, and other written submissions.
1 Prehearing briefs refers to written materials relevant to the investigation and submitted in advance of the hearing, and includes written views on matters that are the subject of the investigation, supporting materials, and any other written materials that you consider will help the Commission in understanding your views. You should file a prehearing brief particularly if you plan to testify at the hearing on behalf of an industry group, company, or other organization, and wish to provide detailed views or information that will support or supplement your testimony.
2 Oral hearing statements testimony refers to the actual oral statement that you intend to present at the public hearing. Do not include any confidential business information in that statement. If you plan to testify, you must file a copy of your oral statement by the date specified in this notice. This statement will allow Commissioners to understand your position in advance of
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