Federal Executive Branch
Here's a look at documents from the U.S. Executive Branch
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Surface Transportation Board Issues Decision Involving Oakland Global Rail Enterprise
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. FD 36312) entitled "Oakland Global Rail Enterprise - Operation Exemption - In Oakland, California":
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On February 4, 2022, Oakland Global Rail Enterprise (OGRE), a noncarrier, filed a petition under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 10502 for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. Sec. 10901 for OGRE to operate over approximately 18.2 miles of track located at the former Oakland Army Base (OAB) in Oakland, Cal. In a decision served on May 5, 2022, the Board
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. FD 36312) entitled "Oakland Global Rail Enterprise - Operation Exemption - In Oakland, California":
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On February 4, 2022, Oakland Global Rail Enterprise (OGRE), a noncarrier, filed a petition under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 10502 for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. Sec. 10901 for OGRE to operate over approximately 18.2 miles of track located at the former Oakland Army Base (OAB) in Oakland, Cal. In a decision served on May 5, 2022, the Boardinitiated a proceeding under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 10502 and held the proceeding in abeyance. Oakland Glob. Rail Enter.--Operation Exemption--in Oakland, Cal., FD 36312, slip op. at 4 (STB served May 5, 2022).
The Board explained that the rail project at issue was being delayed by an ongoing legal dispute between the City of Oakland (City) and OGRE's affiliate, Oakland Bulk & Oversized Terminal, LLC (OBOT), regarding OGRE's proposed sublease of a City-owned rail line. Id. at 1-3. The Board noted that the parties seemed to be planning to settle the dispute by reaching an agreement that would prohibit OGRE from transporting coke and coal. Id. at 2. The Board stated, however, that denying a reasonable request to transport coal or coke would violate OGRE's common carrier obligation under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 11101(a). Id. at 3. The Board further observed that, absent a settlement, OGRE might never able be to obtain the necessary contract and/or operating rights from the City to provide rail service. Id. Accordingly, the Board held this proceeding in abeyance to ensure the efficient use of its resources until there was more clarity regarding when and how the legal dispute between the parties might be resolved. Id. at 4.
At the Board's direction, OGRE filed a status report on November 4, 2022, explaining that the parties had not been able to reach a settlement and that trial had been set for April 21, 2023. (OGRE Status Rep. 2.) The City replied to OGRE's status update on November 15, 2022. Since then, the Board has received no further information. Accordingly, OGRE will be directed to provide another status update by April 7, 2025, regarding the legal dispute between the City and OGRE/OBOT regarding the property at the OAB. The City may file a reply by April 15, 2025 but is not required to do so.
It is ordered:
1. OGRE is directed to file a status update as described above by April 7, 2025. The City may file a reply by April 15, 2025.
2. This decision is effective on its service date.
By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of Proceedings.
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Original text here: https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/DCMS_External_PROD/1743022112136/52485.pdf
SEC Commissioner Peirce Issues Miles To Go: Remarks Before The Digital Chamber's 8th Annual DC Blockchain Summit
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following remarks by Commissioner Hester M. Peirce:
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Miles To Go: Remarks before The Digital Chamber's 8th Annual DC Blockchain Summit
Commissioner Hester M. Peirce
Thank you, Preston [Pysh], for that introduction. Before I begin, let me remind you that my views are my own as a Commissioner and not necessarily those of the SEC or my fellow Commissioners.
The poems of Robert Frost, born on this day in 1874, were among those that filled my childhood. I memorized "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,"[1] a poem about
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following remarks by Commissioner Hester M. Peirce:
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Miles To Go: Remarks before The Digital Chamber's 8th Annual DC Blockchain Summit
Commissioner Hester M. Peirce
Thank you, Preston [Pysh], for that introduction. Before I begin, let me remind you that my views are my own as a Commissioner and not necessarily those of the SEC or my fellow Commissioners.
The poems of Robert Frost, born on this day in 1874, were among those that filled my childhood. I memorized "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,"[1] a poem abouta traveler, accompanied only by his hesitant horse, stopping to admire the falling snow in the forest. Although lyrical verses of securities law have since largely displaced more traditional poetry in my mind's cluttered recesses, the closing stanza of Frost's poem hangs on:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.[2]
Other Frost poems might better capture the season: spring's flowers are upon us, and crypto winter has given way to a sometimes too ebullient season. Nevertheless, Frost's desire to pause the journey to watch the falling snow cover the forest floor resonates with me; I would like the luxury of stopping for a moment or more to watch and think in quiet solitude about what a beautiful regulatory framework would look like. But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep, so I am pondering in public, as the Commission and its staff are working on building the framework. I invite you to join us in determining how to get from regulatory desolation to a place where the crypto industry can blossom without the weeds of fraud, grift, and market manipulation.
Indeed, the public already has stepped up to assist in the task. The Crypto Task Force has had many helpful meetings with outside parties,[3] and we already have received approximately fifty thoughtful written submissions.[4] The Task Force's first public roundtable last Friday was a productive conversation among thoughtful experts with varied views. Additional roundtables are on the schedule.[5] All of this engagement is extremely helpful, as we consider how the Commission and its staff can provide clarity about what is outside of our jurisdiction and practical compliance solutions for activities that are within our jurisdiction. For example, as the discussion at our recent roundtable highlighted, the Commission needs to think separately about transactions and assets that are the subject of transactions. Many crypto assets themselves are not securities, but primary offerings of crypto assets for capital raising purposes are securities transactions. Accordingly, staff is open to inquiries about how to conduct such offerings as either registered or exempt transactions. And the Task Force welcomes well-reasoned requests for no-action letters or exemptive relief that can be finalized quickly to allow activity to start soon. Lessons learned from these short- and medium-term efforts can inform longer-term regulatory and legislative efforts.
We also need to think now about the longer term and do so with open, inquisitive minds. What type of regulatory framework should Congress and the regulators be crafting? How do novel offering and trading technologies fit with our statutes? How can the transparency of the blockchain, the automated operation of smart contracts, and other aspects of crypto technology facilitate regulatory compliance? What new uses for crypto assets and the technology underlying them will emerge--including uses outside the financial realm, particularly once the securities label is not reflexively affixed to every crypto asset? Given all of these outstanding questions, in regulating financial crypto, we ought not be bound by the way we have long regulated existing financial markets. We should welcome the opportunity to reevaluate existing regulation in the light of these questions to ensure its appropriateness for both traditional and new markets.
The SEC and other regulators can provide technical advice and reflections such as those I offer today, but Congress--not implementing agencies--writes the statutes. Two market structure bills from the last Congress--the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act ("FIT21"), which passed the House,[6] and the Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act, which was introduced in the Senate,[7] are informing work during this Congress. Under both approaches, the SEC and the CFTC, each of which has relevant experience, would have a role to play.
As a potential implementer of the legislative design who has lived through past implementation efforts involving multiple regulators, I cannot help but pay attention to jurisdictional questions. The jurisdictional status quo is a challenge. SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, FTC, OFAC, banking regulators, state regulators, FINRA, international regulators, and more play a role in crypto regulation. Overlapping jurisdiction can strain the brains, bank accounts, and briskness of both regulators and market participants. The overlap is likely only to get worse because crypto assets can represent anything from cash, to a financial instrument, like a security or a futures contract, to a work of precious art. As a result, many different regulators will have an interest in regulating crypto as it intersects with their jurisdiction. The risk of burdensome overlaps and conflicts is, therefore, real.
Congress can mitigate regulatory overload in a number of ways. First, as it seems inclined to do, Congress can work with existing regulators rather than creating a new one. Second, Congress can make clear that any new statute applies only domestically, which will focus U.S. regulatory resources on platforms set up in the United States--or reaching into the United States--to serve U.S. customers. Third, when interstate commerce is involved, as it clearly is here, Congress can preempt state regulation over areas covered by federal regulators to alleviate overlap with 50 state regulators. Fourth, to reduce regulatory uncertainty and the regulatory disputes that arise from such uncertainty, Congress can clearly assign jurisdiction over particular types of crypto assets to particular federal regulators. These four approaches to minimizing jurisdictional overlap are pretty straightforward.
Three other approaches for mitigating burdens in a crowded regulatory field are a bit more involved. The fifth way to mitigate burdens would permit flexibility relating to where crypto assets can trade. For this discussion, let us assume that, under new legislative authority, the CFTC will regulate platforms that trade either exclusively non-security crypto assets or a mix of non-security crypto assets and other instruments already regulated by the CFTC. Congress could make clear that a crypto asset sold in a primary transaction conducted pursuant, for example, to an SEC safe harbor, could trade on secondary markets on a CFTC crypto asset trading platform, unless the asset itself--apart from the investment contract--is a security.
While nothing in the SEC's statutes or regulations currently prevents non-securities from trading alongside securities, some people might dispute the SEC's authority to regulate transactions that have no security component, even if they occur on SEC-regulated platforms. Congress could expressly authorize exchanges and Alternative Trading Systems ("ATSs") regulated by the SEC to trade non-security crypto assets and give the SEC explicit authority to regulate these transactions. Congress could ensure that the SEC's regulatory and enforcement authority extended to all transactions occurring on one of its registered platforms. This approach would offer market participants the opportunity to decide where best to house their crypto asset trading activities and would dispel difficult operational questions about transitioning assets from one type of regulated platform to another. Customers would benefit, too, as SEC registrants could have integrated backends for all the crypto assets, securities and non-securities, that they make available to customers, potentially leading to increased efficiencies and lower costs for end-users.
A sixth way Congress could mitigate the burden of regulatory overlap is to apply lessons from the SEC's and CFTC's regulatory experience in traditional markets to the regulation of crypto assets and the platforms where they trade. We can draw on the principles that have guided SEC and CFTC regulation over the past decades, while making changes where appropriate to address the unique features and risks of these assets and to excise extraneous requirements that have accreted over the years without proportionate benefit for investors and markets. Crypto trading platforms could register as something more akin to an ATS than a national securities exchange. Principles-based regulation would give them broad latitude in making decisions about the products they offer for trading and how such products trade. Trading platforms would be able to serve retail customers directly. Customer protections could include proof of reserves and Exchange Act Rules 15c3-1 and 15c3-3 to protect custodied assets; allowance of atomic settlement to remove credit and counterparty risks; customer priority in bankruptcy and insolvency; information barriers and other protections to guard customer trading information from affiliates, employees, and other customers; electronic disclosure of transaction costs; and the provision of standardized, material information about crypto assets by the trading platform. Regulators would have the ability to monitor and examine trading platforms and bring enforcement actions for violations of customer protection rules, insider trading, and disclosure violations.
Finally, Congress can mitigate concerns about regulatory overlap and burden by safeguarding a basic American liberty--the right to transact with one's peers. Protecting people's ability freely to interact directly with one another, including through software, will provide a healthy check on regulatory accretion at centralized trading platforms and serve to acknowledge software developers' First Amendment rights. Centralized intermediaries are not going away. Welcoming the entrepreneurs who are building to disintermediate and decentralize finance is consistent with fundamental American values. It also helps to appropriately calibrate regulation of centralized intermediaries; if regulation of centralized intermediaries is too heavy, too light, or simply not right, people will be able to use decentralized and disintermediated alternatives.
While this moment calls for us to think about crypto market structure, perhaps these discussions also will help us to rationalize the regulatory framework for our traditional equity markets that has grown in regulatorily micromanaged complexity over the last ninety years. Blockchain technology might even be an agent in that streamlining initiative. But I will save those musings for a subsequent journey when there is time to stop and think in the quiet solitude of an ivory tower. As I mentioned at the outset, the task at hand requires greater alacrity and less solitude. Although we have some hard miles ahead in our journey, together we can make rapid progress. A well-crafted regulatory edifice lies just on the other side of the forest.
[1] Robert Frost, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," The Poetry of Robert Frost (ed. Edward Connery Lathem 1923), available at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42891/stopping-by-woods-on-a-snowy-evening.
[2] Id.
[3] U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Crypto Task Force Meetings, available at https://www.sec.gov/about/crypto-task-force/crypto-task-force-meeting-logs
[4] U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Crypto Task Force Written Input, available at https://www.sec.gov/about/crypto-task-force/crypto-task-force-written-input.
[5] U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Press Release, SEC Crypto Task Force To Host Four More Roundtables (Mar. 25, 2025), available at https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-57.
[6] H.R. 4763, Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (118th Cong. 2023-24), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4763/text?s=1&r=1&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Financial+Innovation+and+Technology+for+the+21st+Century+Act.%22%5D%7D.
[7] S.2281, Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act (118th Cong. 2023-24), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/2281/text.
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Original text here: https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/peirce-remarks-dc-blockchain-summit-032625
Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Guam
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following news story:
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Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Guam
From Lt.j.g. Jack Scypinski, Carrier Strike Group ONE - CSG 1
APRA HARBOR - The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (VINCSG) arrived in Guam for a regularly scheduled port visit, March 24.
Guam is a critical nexus for logistics and provides a variety of capabilities and support functions for U.S. naval vessels including supplies, maintenance parts, and equipment.
Guam is strategically important to the region and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific," said Rear Adm. Michael
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following news story:
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Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Guam
From Lt.j.g. Jack Scypinski, Carrier Strike Group ONE - CSG 1
APRA HARBOR - The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (VINCSG) arrived in Guam for a regularly scheduled port visit, March 24.
Guam is a critical nexus for logistics and provides a variety of capabilities and support functions for U.S. naval vessels including supplies, maintenance parts, and equipment.
Guam is strategically important to the region and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific," said Rear Adm. MichaelWosje, commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1. "Our port visit here is part of our routine presence in the 7th Fleet area of operations, and allows us to recharge and resupply to remain operationally ready for any mission."
While in port, Sailors will be able to take advantage of base amenities and enjoy time to explore the island's culture and cuisine.
VINCSG consists of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked staffs of CSG-1 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1, Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW-2), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59), and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS Milius (DDG 69).
CVW-2 is composed of nine squadrons flying the F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey and MH-60R/S Seahawks.
VINCSG is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
For more news from CSG-1 and Carl Vinson visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CSG1, https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CVN70
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Original text here: https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/4132735/carl-vinson-carrier-strike-group-arrives-in-guam/
BLS - Western Region Issues Report Entitled 'County Employment and Wages in Washington - Third Quarter 2024'
SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 27 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Western Regional Information Office issued the following report on March 26, 2025, entitled "County Employment and Wages in Washington - Third Quarter 2024":
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Employment rose in 9 of the 10 largest counties in Washington from September 2023 to September 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are the 369 U.S. counties or county equivalents with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted
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SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 27 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Western Regional Information Office issued the following report on March 26, 2025, entitled "County Employment and Wages in Washington - Third Quarter 2024":
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Employment rose in 9 of the 10 largest counties in Washington from September 2023 to September 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are the 369 U.S. counties or county equivalents with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund notedthat Benton County and Snohomish County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 3.1 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)
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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Washington, September 2024
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National employment increased 0.8 percent over the year, with 264 of the 369 largest U.S. counties with published data reporting gains. Kings, NY, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 4.9 percent. Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-2.7 percent).
Among the 10 largest counties in Washington, employment was highest in King County (1,467,200) in September 2024. Within King County's private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 10 largest Washington counties accounted for 84.2 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprised 73.1 percent of total covered employment in the United States.
Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 29 counties in Washington with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all of the 29 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,394 in the third quarter of 2024. (See table 2.)
Large county wage changes
All 10 large Washington counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2023 to the third quarter of 2024. (See chart 2.) King County had the largest gain (+6.4 percent), followed by Whatcom County (+5.8 percent) and Clark and Kitsap Counties (+4.7 percent each). Over-the-year wage gains among Washington's other 6 large counties ranged from 4.5 percent to 2.7 percent.
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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Washington, third quarter 2024
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Nationwide, wages increased by 4.5 percent over the year. Among the 365 largest counties in the United States with published data, 363 had over-the-year wage increases. Benton, AR, had the largest percentage wage increase (+15.5 percent). Weld, CO, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-1.3 percent).
Large county average weekly wages
Weekly wages in 3 of the 10 largest counties in Washington were above the national average of $1,394 in the third quarter of 2024 and ranked among the top 100 nationwide: King County ($2,450, 5th), Snohomish ($1,491, 62nd), and Kitsap ($1,402, 91st).
Among the 369 largest U.S. counties, 94 reported average weekly wages at or above the U.S. average in the third quarter of 2024. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,557). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 275 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($819).
Smaller county average weekly wages
Among the 29 smaller counties in Washington--those with employment below 75,000--Columbia ($1,305) reported the highest weekly wage. Wahkiakum County ($874) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.
When all 39 counties in Washington were considered, 9 reported average weekly wages of less than $1,049, 12 registered wages from $1,050 to $1,149, 9 had wages from $1,150 to $1,249, and 9 had average weekly wages of $1,250 or higher. (See map 1.) The higher-paying counties were located in and around the Seattle metropolitan area, as well as certain counties on the southern border.
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Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Washington, third quarter 2024
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Additional statistics and other information
QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.
Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update.
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The County Employment and Wages release for the fourth quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. The County Employment and Wages full data update for the fourth quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.
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Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 10 largest counties in Washington, third quarter 2024
Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Washington, third quarter 2024
Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, third quarter 2024
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View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news-release/2025/countyemploymentandwages_washington_20250326.htm
President Trump, VP Vance Honor Medal of Honor Recipients
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The White House issued the following news on March 25, 2025:
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President Trump, VP Vance Honor Medal of Honor Recipients
On this National Medal of Honor Day, President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance had the distinct privilege of hosting Medal of Honor recipients and their families at the White House.
This special event honored the extraordinary courage and distinguished service of these American heroes, who went far beyond the call of duty.
President Trump and Vice President Vance, representing a profoundly thankful nation, expressed their deep gratitude
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The White House issued the following news on March 25, 2025:
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President Trump, VP Vance Honor Medal of Honor Recipients
On this National Medal of Honor Day, President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance had the distinct privilege of hosting Medal of Honor recipients and their families at the White House.
This special event honored the extraordinary courage and distinguished service of these American heroes, who went far beyond the call of duty.
President Trump and Vice President Vance, representing a profoundly thankful nation, expressed their deep gratitudeto these remarkable individuals -- and solemnly vowed that the United States will forever remember and honor the immense sacrifices they've made.
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Original text here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/03/president-trump-vp-vance-honor-medal-of-honor-recipients/
President Trump Issues Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts Into U.S.
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- President Trump issued the following proclamation on March 26, 2025:
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Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts into the United States
Proclamations
1. On February 17, 2019, the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) transmitted to me a report on his investigation into the effects of imports of passenger vehicles (sedans, sport utility vehicles, crossover utility vehicles, minivans, and cargo vans) and light trucks (collectively, automobiles) and certain automobile parts (engines and engine parts, transmissions and powertrain parts, and electrical components)
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- President Trump issued the following proclamation on March 26, 2025:
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Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts into the United States
Proclamations
1. On February 17, 2019, the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) transmitted to me a report on his investigation into the effects of imports of passenger vehicles (sedans, sport utility vehicles, crossover utility vehicles, minivans, and cargo vans) and light trucks (collectively, automobiles) and certain automobile parts (engines and engine parts, transmissions and powertrain parts, and electrical components)(collectively, automobile parts) on the national security of the United States under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1862) (section 232). Based on the facts considered in that investigation, the Secretary found and advised me of his opinion that automobiles and certain automobile parts are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States.
2. In Proclamation 9888 of May 17, 2019 (Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts Into the United States), I concurred with the Secretary's finding in the February 17, 2019, report that automobiles and certain automobile parts are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States. I also directed the United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative), in consultation with other executive branch officials, to pursue negotiation of agreements to address the threatened impairment of the national security of the United States with respect to imported automobiles and certain automobile parts from the European Union, Japan, and any other country the Trade Representative deems appropriate.
3. The Trade Representative's negotiations did not lead to any agreements of the type contemplated by section 232.
4. In Proclamation 9888, I also directed the Secretary to monitor imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts and inform me of any circumstances that, in the Secretary's opinion, might indicate the need for further action under section 232 with respect to such imports.
5. The Secretary has informed me that, since the February 17, 2019, report, the national security concerns remain and have escalated. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities and choke points in global supply chains, undermining our ability to maintain a resilient domestic industrial base. In recent years, American-owned automotive manufacturers have experienced numerous supply chain challenges, including material and parts input shortages, labor shortages and strikes, and electrical-component shortages. Meanwhile, foreign automotive industries, propelled by unfair subsidies and aggressive industrial policies, have grown substantially. Today, only about half of the vehicles sold in the United States are manufactured domestically, a decline that jeopardizes our domestic industrial base and national security, and the United States' share of worldwide automobile production has remained stagnant since the February 17, 2019, report. The number of employees in the domestic automotive industry has also not improved since the February 17, 2019, report.
6. I am also advised that agreements entered into before the issuance of Proclamation 9888, such as the revisions to the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), have not yielded sufficient positive outcomes. The threat to national security posed by imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts remains and has increased. Investments resulting from other efforts, such as legislation, have also not yielded sufficient positive outcomes to eliminate the threat to national security from such imports.
7. After considering the current information newly provided by the Secretary, among other things, I find that imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts continue to threaten to impair the national security of the United States and deem it necessary and appropriate to impose tariffs, as defined below, to adjust imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts so that such imports will not threaten to impair national security.
8. To ensure that the imposition of tariffs on automobiles and certain automobile parts in this proclamation are not circumvented and that the purpose of this action to eliminate the threat to the national security of the United States by imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts is not undermined, I also deem it necessary and appropriate to establish processes to identify and impose tariffs on additional automobile parts, as further described below.
9. Section 232 provides that, in this situation, the President shall take such other actions as the President deems necessary to adjust the imports of the relevant article so that such imports will not threaten to impair national security.
10. Section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), authorizes the President to embody in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) the substance of statutes affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including the removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code; section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended; and section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, do hereby proclaim as follows:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this proclamation, all imports of articles specified in Annex I to this proclamation or in any subsequent annex to this proclamation, as set out in a subsequent notice in the Federal Register, shall be subject to a 25 percent tariff with respect to goods entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on April 3, 2025, for automobiles, and on the date specified in the Federal Register for automobile parts, but no later than May 3, 2025, and shall continue in effect, unless such actions are expressly reduced, modified, or terminated. The above ad valorem tariff is in addition to any other duties, fees, exactions, and charges applicable to such imported automobiles and certain automobile parts articles.
(2) For automobiles that qualify for preferential tariff treatment under the USMCA, importers of such automobiles may submit documentation to the Secretary identifying the amount of U.S. content in each model imported into the United States. "U.S. content" refers to the value of the automobile attributable to parts wholly obtained, produced entirely, or substantially transformed in the United States. Thereafter, the Secretary may approve imports of such automobiles to be eligible to apply the ad valorem tariff of 25 percent in clause (1) of this proclamation exclusively to the value of the non-U.S. content of the automobile. The non-U.S. content of the automobile shall be calculated by subtracting the value of the U.S. content in an automobile from the total value of the automobile.
(3) If U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determines that the declared value of non-U.S. content of an automobile, as described in clause (2) of this proclamation, is inaccurate due to an overstatement of U.S. content, the 25 percent tariff shall apply to the full value of the automobile, regardless of the actual U.S. content of the automobile. In addition, the 25 percent tariff shall be applied retroactively (from April 3, 2025, to the date of the inaccurate overstatement) and prospectively (from the date of the inaccurate overstatement to the date the importer corrects the overstatement, as verified by CBP) to the full value of all automobiles of the same model imported by the same importer. This clause does not apply to or otherwise affect any other applicable fees or penalties.
(4) The ad valorem tariff of 25 percent described in clause (1) of this proclamation shall not apply to automobile parts that qualify for preferential treatment under the USMCA until such time that the Secretary, in consultation with CBP, establishes a process to apply the tariff exclusively to the value of the non-U.S. content of such automobile parts and publishes notice in the Federal Register.
(5) For avoidance of doubt, clause (4) of this proclamation does not apply to automobile knock-down kits or parts compilations. Clause (4) of this proclamation applies only to individual automobile parts as defined by Annex I to this proclamation that otherwise meet the requirements of clause (4) of this proclamation.
(6) The Secretary, in consultation with the United States International Trade Commission and CBP, shall determine the modifications necessary to the HTSUS to effectuate this proclamation and shall make such modifications to the HTSUS through notice in the Federal Register.
(7) Within 90 days of the date of this proclamation, the Secretary shall establish a process for including additional automobile parts articles within the scope of the tariffs described in clause (1) of this proclamation. In addition to inclusions made by the Secretary, this process shall provide for including additional automobile parts articles at the request of a domestic producer of an automobile or automobile parts article, or an industry association representing one or more such producers, where the request establishes that imports of additional automobile parts articles have increased in a manner that threatens to impair the national security or otherwise undermines the objectives set forth in any proclamation issued on the basis of the Secretary's February 17, 2019, report or any additional information submitted to the President under clause (3) of Proclamation 9888 or clause (9) of this proclamation. When the Secretary receives such a request from a domestic producer or industry association, the Secretary, after consultation with the United States International Trade Commission and CBP, shall issue a determination regarding whether to include the articles within 60 days of receiving the request. Any additional automobile parts articles that the Secretary has determined to be included within the scope of the tariffs described in clause (1) of this proclamation shall be so included on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time the day after a notice in the Federal Register describing the determination of the Secretary. The notice in the Federal Register shall be made as soon as practicable but no later than 14 days after the Secretary's determination.
(8) Any automobile or automobile part, except those eligible for admission under "domestic status" as defined in 19 CFR 146.43, that is subject to the duty imposed by this proclamation and that is admitted into a United States foreign trade zone on or after the effective date of this proclamation, in accordance with clause (1) of this proclamation, must be admitted as "privileged foreign status" as defined in 19 CFR 146.41, and will be subject upon entry for consumption to any ad valorem rates of duty related to the classification under the applicable HTSUS subheading.
(9) The Secretary shall continue to monitor imports of automobiles and automobile parts. The Secretary also shall, from time to time, in consultation with any senior executive branch officials the Secretary deems appropriate, review the status of such imports with respect to national security. The Secretary shall inform the President of any circumstances that, in the Secretary's opinion, might indicate the need for further action by the President under section 232. The Secretary shall also inform the President of any circumstance that, in the Secretary's opinion, might indicate that the increase in duty rate provided for in this proclamation is no longer necessary.
(10) No drawback shall be available with respect to the duties imposed pursuant to this proclamation.
(11) The Secretary may issue regulations and guidance consistent with this proclamation, including to address operational necessity.
(12) CBP may take any necessary or appropriate measures to administer the tariffs imposed by this proclamation.
(13) Any provision of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that is inconsistent with the actions taken in this proclamation is superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
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Original text here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/adjusting-imports-of-automobiles-and-autombile-parts-into-the-united-states/
NASA: Sky's Not the Limit: - Testing Precision Landing Tech for Future Space Missions
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- NASA issued the following news release:
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Sky's Not the Limit: Testing Precision Landing Tech for Future Space Missions
Nestled in a pod under an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft wing, flying above California, and traveling up to the speed of sound, NASA put a commercial sensor technology to the test. The flight tests demonstrated the sensor accuracy and navigation precision in challenging conditions, helping prepare the technology to land robots and astronauts on the Moon and Mars.
The Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system is rooted in NASA technology that
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- NASA issued the following news release:
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Sky's Not the Limit: Testing Precision Landing Tech for Future Space Missions
Nestled in a pod under an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft wing, flying above California, and traveling up to the speed of sound, NASA put a commercial sensor technology to the test. The flight tests demonstrated the sensor accuracy and navigation precision in challenging conditions, helping prepare the technology to land robots and astronauts on the Moon and Mars.
The Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system is rooted in NASA technology thatPsionic, Inc. of Hampton, Virginia, licensed and further developed. They miniaturized the NASA technology, added further functionality, and incorporated component redundancies that make it more rugged for spaceflight. The PSNDL navigation system also includes cameras and an inertial measurement unit to make it a complete navigation system capable of accurately determining a vehicle's position and velocity for precision landing and other spaceflight applications.
The aircraft departed from NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and conducted a variety of flight paths over several days in February 2025. It flew a large figure-8 loop and conducted several highly dynamic maneuvers over Death Valley, California, to collect navigation data at various altitudes, velocities, and orientations relevant for lunar and Mars entry and descent. Refurbished for these tests, the NASA F/A-18 pod can support critical data collection for other technologies and users at a low cost.
Doppler Lidar sensors provide a highly accurate measurement of speed by measuring the frequency shift between laser light emitted from the sensor reflected from the ground. Lidar are extremely useful in sunlight-challenged areas that may have long shadows and stark contrasts, such as the lunar South Pole. Pairing PSNDL with cameras adds the ability to visually compare pictures with surface reconnaissance maps of rocky terrain and navigate to landing at interesting locations on Mars. All the data is fed into a computer to make quick, real-time decisions to enable precise touchdowns at safe locations.
Since licensing NDL in 2016, Psionic has received funding and development support from NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate through its Small Business Innovative Research program and Tipping Point initiative. The company has also tested PSNDL prototypes on suborbital vehicles via the Flight Opportunities program. In 2024, onboard a commercial lunar lander, NASA successfully demonstrated the predecessor NDL system developed by the agency's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
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Original text here: https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/the-skys-not-the-limit-testing-precision-landing-tech-for-future-space-missions/
