26-0722: Wednesday's "Export/Import Daily Bugle"

1. Today's Federal Register (No items of interest.)

(Source: Today's Federal Register)

2. Future Federal Register

(Source: Future Federal Register)

3. CBP Cargo Systems Messages

(Source: DHS/CBP/CSMS)

4. CBP Events in August 2026

(Source: OTR Webinars)

5. Commerce/BIS (Nothing new.)

(Source: Commerce/BIS)

6. State/DDTC: Removal from the U.S. Munitions List of Silencers, Mufflers, and Sound Suppressors for Non-Automatic and Semi-Automatic Firearms

(Source: State/DDTC, 22 Jul 2026)

On July 22, 2026, the State Department placed on public inspection in the Federal Register an interim final rule removing silencers, mufflers, and sound suppressors for non-automatic and semi-automatic firearms up to .50 caliber from the International Traffic in Arms Regulations' U.S. Munitions List (USML).
     A complementary rule by the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security will add these items to the Commerce Control List. Silencers, mufflers, and sound suppressors specially designed for fully automatic firearms up to .50 caliber and fully automatic shotguns will remain on the USML.
     This rule is in furtherance of the President's April 9, 2025, Executive Order 14268, "Reforming Foreign Defense Sales to Improve Speed and Accountability," which directed the review of the USML to ensure that its control scope focused "on our most sensitive and sophisticated technologies." The Department assessed that these items no longer provide a critical military or intelligence advantage.
     This rule will take effect on November 20, 2026. The Department is seeking public comments on this rule for 30 days. Interested parties may submit comments by August 24, 2026, using one of the methods described in the interim final rule.

7. White House Announces More Than $5 Billion for the Genesis Mission, a National Mission on AI for Science

(Source: The White House, 22 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

Today, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios unveiled more than $5 billion in Federal commitments expanding the Genesis Mission alongside new mission-driven National Science and Technology Challenges. Tune in to the Genesis Mission 2026 Summit live on July 22, 2026 at 9:00am ET.
     Launched by President Trump's Executive Order in November 2025 and led by the White House, the Genesis Mission is a national effort to harness AI for science. What began at the Department of Energy (DOE) is now a whole-of-government initiative: More than 15 Federal agencies will contribute research awards, funding opportunities, specialized scientific datasets, and research facilities to the National Science and Technology Challenges.
     These agencies will leverage the DOE-built American Science and Security Platform, which provides shared infrastructure that connects researchers with data, compute, and AI tools to accelerate scientific discovery. . . .

8. Breaking Defense: "Extra $11 billion to fund huge leap in Space Force launches"

(Source: Breaking Defense News, 22 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

The Space Force's move to increase the contract ceiling for less complex, less critical launches by $11.4 billion will cover an additional 110 launches, raising the total number of expected missions to 170 over the next decade, according to a Space Systems Command (SSC) spokesperson.
     The Space Force on July 17 announced the tripling of its original $5.6 billion ceiling for the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program, bringing the total to $17 billion. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract has a five-year base plus a five-year option between 2025 and 2034.
     "When the Phase 3 Lane 1 contract was awarded in June 2024, there were a total of 60 missions expected for order," the SSC spokesperson told Breaking Defense today. "The total number of estimated missions has now increased to approximately 170 due to the growing demand to deliver critical capabilities to orbit. ... As a result, it was necessary to increase the ID/IQ contract value in response to the new estimated mission quantities expected to be ordered.
     "The Lane 1 ceiling increase allows for launch services to be funded through a combination of reconciliation and baseline budget funds," the spokesperson added.
     SSC originally chose SpaceX, United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Blue Origin to compete under the Lane 1 program. Last March Rocket Lab and Stoke Space were added to the pool, followed by startups Impulse Space and Relativity Federal on July 8.
     Vendors selected under the ID/IQ compete for individual launch task orders. So far, SpaceX has nabbed the bulk of them. . . . [Full article]

9. Expeditors News: "White House Announces Section 338 Tariffs on Certain Canadian Products"

(Source: Expeditors News, 21 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

In a series of Presidential Proclamations published on July 20, 2026, President Trump announced the imposition of additional duties of 50% under Section 338 on certain Canadian dairy, alcoholic beverages, and motor vehicle products.
     Section 338 authorizes the President to "offset any burden or disadvantage placed on the commerce of the United States by an unequal imposition or discrimination by a foreign country by specifying and declaring additional duties."
     Each proclamation includes an annex which lists the tariff classifications subject to the additional 50% duty rate. The Section 338 duties will not apply to products that are subject to existing Section 232 duties.
     These Section 338 duties will apply to the specific Canadian goods that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from a warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on August 19, 2026.
     The "Imposing Additional Duties to Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States with Respect to Motor Vehicles" Presidential Proclamation and product annex can be found HERE.
     The "Imposing Additional Duties to Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States with Respect to Alcoholic Beverages" Presidential Proclamation and product annex can be found HERE.
     The "Imposing Additional Duties to Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States with Respect to Dairy" Presidential Proclamation and product annex can be found HERE. The "President Donald J. Trump Imposes Additional Tariffs on Canada" Fact Sheet can be found HERE.

10. Road & Track: "U.S. Customs Seize $539,000 Luxury-Car Export Over Fraudulent Bills of Sale"

(Source: Road & Track Magazine, 22 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

Overseas buyers of five luxury vehicles worth over half a million dollars are going to have to wait a bit longer for delivery. The vehicles were seized in Tampa, Florida, last month by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers before they could leave the port. According to CBP, investigators uncovered what they describe as fraudulent bills of sale tied to an attempt to export the vehicles.
     On June 26, the Port of Tampa's vehicle export lot looked like a high-end car dealership. The collection was heavy on Mercedes-Benz hardware, including three G-Class SUVs and a 2023 AMG SL55. A 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray rounded out the shipment.
     Apparently, the paperwork didn't match the cars. The declared export values were $257,000 less than the actual value, authorities say. Federal law requires exporters to provide accurate ownership information and supporting documentation before a vehicle can be shipped overseas. All five vehicles were seized at port, and export filings were placed on hold. . . .
     [Full article]

11. ST&R Trade Report: "Additional 50 Percent Tariff to be Imposed on Imports from Canada"

(Source: Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report) [Excerpts]. Contact: [email protected], 1-305-894-1035

President Trump issued July 20 three separate proclamations imposing an additional 50 percent tariff on about $20 billion worth of imports from Canada under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, the first time that statute has been used for that purpose.
     The White House said the new tariff is designed to offset "Canada's discriminatory treatment of U.S. commerce" with respect to automobiles, alcoholic beverages, and dairy products, all of which are longstanding issues of concern for the U.S. However, the tariff will not take effect until Aug. 19, which could give the U.S. and Canada time to address those irritants before the tariff is assessed. . . .
     According to the proclamations, Section 338 empowers the president to impose tariffs on imports of a foreign country to offset the burden or disadvantage from its discrimination against or unequal imposition on U.S. commerce. . . .
     Tariff Details. The new tariff will be effective for covered goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after 12:01 a.m. EDT on Aug. 19, with no apparent termination date. The proclamations provide that the tariff could be modified in the future but give no indication as to when or under what conditions that may occur. . . .

12. Baker/McKenzie: "OFAC Issues General License Authorizing Agricultural and Medical Transactions and Activities Related to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda"

(Source: Global Sanctions and Export Controls Blog, 23 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

* Principal Author: Kerry B. Contini; Baker Mckenzie

On July 10, 2026, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") issued General License No. 2 ("GL 2") under the Democratic Republic of the Congo Sanctions Regulations (the "DRCSR") as the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo ("DRC") continues to face significant humanitarian challenges, including an Ebola outbreak in the region.
     GL 2 goes beyond the existing general license found in section 547.513 of the DRCSR, which is limited to quantities of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices that are consistent with personal, non-commercial use.
     GL 2 authorizes US persons to engage in transactions and activities otherwise prohibited by the DRCSR that are ordinarily incident and necessary to: (i) the export or reexport of agricultural commodities, medicine, medical devices, replacement parts and components, or software updates for medical devices to the DRC or the Republic of Rwanda ("Rwanda")—including to persons in third countries purchasing such items specifically for resale or provision to those countries; (ii) the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of any disease or medical condition in those countries, including transactions ordinarily incident to the provision of medical care and the operation of medical clinics or facilities; and (iii) the conduct of clinical trials and other medical research activities in those countries. GL 2 has no expiration date.
     GL 2 does not authorize the export or reexport of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations that are controlled to the DRC or Rwanda. . . . [Full article]

13. Heritage: "Four Defense Export Reforms for the United States"

(Source: Heritage Foundation, 21 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

The global threat environment in 2026 is the darkest since the Cold War—active conflicts on three continents, an aggressive Russia, and a rapidly modernizing Chinese military.
     Yet the exhaustion of munitions stockpiles in these fights has exposed a deeper vulnerability: America and its allies lack the industrial capacity to rearm, hamstrung by Cold War–era rules governing arms sales and technology transfers.
     These outdated controls now only benefit adversaries who ignore them. Building on two Trump executive orders and the AUKUS model (the trilateral defense and security pact among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), Congress and the executive branch should reform the Arms Export Control Act, trim excluded-technology lists, update munitions lists regularly, and preserve U.S. sovereignty over a modernized export architecture.

Key Takeaways:

[Full article]

14. ST&R Trade Report: "Section 232 Tariff on Primary Aluminum to be Lowered for Onshored Production"

(Source: Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report) [Excerpts]. Contact: [email protected], 1-305-894-1035

President Trump issued July 20 a proclamation that envisions lowering Section 232 tariffs on some imports of aluminum.
     According to a White House fact sheet, the proclamation directs the Department of Commerce to establish an incentive program for companies to engage in building new U.S. facilities capable of producing primary aluminum, expanding U.S. facilities to become capable of producing primary aluminum, or refurbishing outdated U.S. facilities that produce primary aluminum to expand their production or increase efficiency. . . .
     Companies whose plans are approved by the DOC would then be eligible to import a quantity of primary aluminum, corresponding to the reasonably anticipated annual production of primary aluminum by their U.S. facility, at half the otherwise applicable Section 232 tariff rate (currently 50 percent). . . .[Full article]

15. Troutman: "Three Strikes: New 50% Tariffs to Hit Certain Canadian Goods -- and USMCA Won't Save You"

(Source: Troutman Pepper Locke, 22 Jul 2026) [Excerpts]

* Author: Ryan Last, Troutman Pepper Locke LLP

Key Points:

[Full article]

16. Partnering for Compliance™ Presents: "Firearms: Exporting & Importing" 16 Sep 2026

(Source: A.E. NicPhaidin)

17. List of Export/Import Job Openings

(Source: Editor)

19. Bartlett's Unfamiliar Quotations

(Source: Brainy Quotes)

* Rose Kennedy (Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald Kennedy; 22 Jul 1890 – 22 Jan 1995; was an American philanthropist, socialite, and a member of the Kennedy family. Kennedy was the wife of businessman and investor Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., who was United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Their nine children included President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Senator Ted Kennedy.)

- "Make sure you never argue at night. You just lose a good night's sleep, and you can't settle anything until morning anyway."

- "I'm like old wine. They don't bring me out very often - but I'm well preserved."

* Stephen Vincent Benet (22 Jul 1898 – 13 Mar 1943; was an American poet, short story writer, and novelist. He is best known for his book-length narrative poem of the American Civil War, John Brown's Body, for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, and for the short stories "The Devil and Daniel Webster" and "By the Waters of Babylon").

- "We thought, because we had power, we had wisdom."

- "Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways."

- "You call my candidate a horse thief, and I call yours a lunatic, and we both of us know it's just till election day. It's an American custom, like eating corn on the cob. And, afterwards, we settle down quite peaceably and agree we've got a pretty good country - until next election."

* Karl A. Menninger (Karl Augustus Menninger; 22 Jul 1893 – 18 Jul 1990; was an American psychiatrist and a member of the Menninger family of psychiatrists who founded the Menninger Foundation and the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas.)

- "Love cures people - both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it."

- "What's done to children, they will do to society."

20. Today in History (Source: History Channel)

1793: Explorer Alexander Mackenzie reached the Pacific Ocean, becoming the first recorded person to complete a transcontinental crossing of North America.

1933: Aviator Wiley Post became the first person to fly solo around the world, completing the journey in just over seven days.

21. Do You Need to Update Your Daily Bugle Profile?

(Source: Editor)

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22. Are Your Copies of Export/Import Regulations Current?

(Source: Editor)

The official versions of the following regulations are published annually in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) but are updated as amended in the Federal Register. The latest amendments are listed below.