36176 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 128 / Thursday, July 8, 2021 / Notices 

department of Valle to his personal 

accounts. 

Jose Porfirio ‘‘Pepe’’ Lobo Sosa, 

former president of Honduras, engaged 

in significant corruption while 

president when he accepted bribes from 

the narco-trafficking organization Los 

Cachiros in exchange for political 

favors. 

Gladys Aurora Lopez, member of the 

Honduran National Congress Executive 

Board, engaged in significant 

corruption. He was indicted in the Arca 

Abierta MACCIH-investigated 

corruption case for embezzling $800,000 

from various government agencies. 

Miguel Edgardo Martinez Pineda, 

current congressional representative 

engaged in significant corruption. He 

was indicted in the Pandora MACCIH 

corruption case in June 2018 for 

misappropriating $12.5 million in 

public funds from the Secretariat of 

Agriculture to political campaigns for 

personal gain. 

Sara Ismela Medina Galo, member of 

congress, obstructed investigations into 

corruption in her role as Secretary of 

Congress. 

Oscar Najera, current congressional 

representative, engaged in significant 

corruption related to the Cachiros 

narcotrafficking organization. He was 

designated under Section 7031(c) for 

involvement in significant corruption. 

Hector Enrique Padilla Hernandez, 

former member of congress, engaged in 

significant corruption by 

misappropriating funds from the 

publicly funded Limpieza de Solares y 

Calles development project in his home 

department of Choluteca to his personal 

accounts. 

Milton Jesus Puerto Oseguera, current 

congressional representative, engaged in 

significant corruption. He was indicted 

in the Arca Abierta MACCIHinvestigated corruption case for 

embezzling $800,000 from various 

government agencies. 

Audelia Rodriguez Rodrigo, current 

member of congress, engaged in 

significant corruption by 

misappropriating funds from the 

publicly funded Limpieza de Solares y 

Calles development project to her 

personal accounts. 

Dennys Antonio Sanchez Fernandez, 

current member of congress, engaged in 

significant corruption by 

misappropriating funds from a public 

pest control program in his home 

department of Santa Barbara to his 

personal accounts. 

Elvin Ernesto Santo Ordonez, current 

congressional representative, engaged in 

significant corruption when he 

misappropriated funds from the 

Secretariat of Agriculture to political 

campaigns. 

Juan Carlos Valenzuela Molina, 

current congressional representative. He 

was indicted in the Arca Abierta 

MACCIH-investigated corruption case 

for embezzling $800,000 from various 

government agencies. 

Elden Vasquez, current congressional 

representative, engaged in significant 

corruption through the 

misappropriation of $12.5 million from 

the Secretariat of Agriculture to political 

campaigns for his personal gain. He was 

indicted in the Pandora MACCIHinvestigated corruption case in June 

2018. 

Welsy Milena Vasquez Lopez, current 

congressional representative, engaged in 

significant corruption including 

embezzlement and misappropriation of 

public funds for personal gain. He was 

indicted in the Arca Abierta MACCIHinvestigated corruption case for 

embezzling $800,000 from various 

government agencies. 

Roman Villeda Aguilar, member of 

congress, obstructed investigations into 

corruption, which resulted in the 

dismissal of an embezzlement case 

against several congressman who were 

under investigation for redirecting 

money to a fake NGO. 

Dated: June 30, 2021. 

Brian P. McKeon, 

Deputy Secretary of State for Management 

and Resources. 

[FR Doc. 2021–14515 Filed 7–7–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–29–P 

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE 

[Docket Number USTR–2021–0011] 

Request for Comments on Operation 

of the Caribbean Basin Initiative 

AGENCY: Office of the United States 

Trade Representative (USTR). 

ACTION: Notice of initiation of review, 

public hearing, and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Trade 

Representative has to submit a report to 

Congress regarding the operation of the 

Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) no later 

than December 31, 2021. The Trade 

Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) invites 

comments concerning the operation of 

the CBI, including the performance of 

each beneficiary country, to assist in 

preparing the report to Congress on the 

operation of the CBI. 

DATES: The TPSC must receive your 

written comments by August 31, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: The TPSC strongly prefers 

electronic submissions made through 

the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// 

www.regulations.gov (Regulations.gov), 

using Docket Number USTR–2021– 

0011. Follow the instructions for 

submitting comments in ‘Requirements 

for Submissions’ below. For alternatives 

to on-line submissions, please contact 

Magaly Garcia, Director for Bolivia, 

Ecuador, and the Caribbean, at 

magaly.a.garcia@ustr.eop.gov or 202– 

395–9597. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Magaly Garcia, Director for Bolivia, 

Ecuador, and the Caribbean, at 

magaly.a.garcia@ustr.eop.gov or 202– 

395–9597. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Together, the Caribbean Basin 

Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), as 

amended by the Caribbean Basin Trade 

Partnership Act (CBTPA) (19 U.S.C. 

2701 et seq.) commonly are referred to 

as the Caribbean Basin Initiative or CBI. 

Section 212(f)(1) of the CBERA, as 

amended (19 U.S.C. 2702(f)(1)), requires 

the U.S. Trade Representative to report 

on the performance of each CBERA or 

CBTPA beneficiary country. Barbados, 

Belize, Curacao, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, 

Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago 

receive benefits under both CBERA and 

CBTPA. Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, 

the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, 

Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint 

Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Vincent and 

the Grenadines currently receive 

benefits only under CBERA. For 

purposes of this report, the term 

‘beneficiary country’ includes both the 

independent countries and dependent 

territories receiving benefits under 

CBTPA and/or CBERA. 

As described in detail below, the 

TPSC seeks comments on any aspect of 

the CBI’s operation, including the 

performance of CBERA and CBTPA 

beneficiary countries under the criteria 

described in sections 212(b), 212(c), and 

213(b)(5)(B) of the CBERA, as amended. 

You can access the criteria at: http://

www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011- 

title19/html/USCODE-2011-title19- 

chap15.htm. The report also will 

examine the CBI’s effect on the volume 

and composition of trade and 

investment between the United States 

and the CBI beneficiary countries and 

on advancing U.S. trade policy goals. 

You can access the most recent CBI 

report at: CBI_Report_2019.pdf 

(ustr.gov). 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 128 / Thursday, July 8, 2021 / Notices 36177 

II. Reporting Requirements on the 

Eligibility Criteria for All CBI 

Beneficiary Countries 

The TPSC seeks comments on any 

aspect of the CBI’s operation, including 

the performance of CBERA and CBTPA 

beneficiary countries using the 

following criteria: 

A. CBERA Bases for Ineligibility 

Under section 212(b) (19 U.S.C. 

2702(b)), the President cannot designate 

a country as a CBI beneficiary country: 

1. If it is a Communist country. 

2. If it has expropriated or 

nationalized property owned by a U.S. 

citizen or by a corporation owned by 

U.S. citizens, unless the President 

determines that the country is taking 

steps to resolve the matter. 

3. If it fails to act in good faith in 

recognizing as binding or in enforcing 

arbitral awards in favor of a U.S. citizen 

or a corporation owned by U.S. citizens. 

4. If it affords preferential treatment to 

the products of a developed country 

other than the United States that has, or 

is likely to have, a significant adverse 

effect on U.S. commerce, unless the 

President has received satisfactory 

assurances that the country will 

eliminate this preferential treatment or 

that action will be taken to assure that 

there will be no significant adverse 

effect. 

5. If a government-owned entity in the 

country engages in the broadcast of 

copyrighted material, including films or 

television material, belonging to United 

States copyright owners without their 

express consent. 

6. Unless it is a signatory to a treaty, 

convention, protocol, or other 

agreement regarding the extradition of 

U.S. citizens. 

7. If it has not or is not taking steps 

to afford internationally recognized 

worker rights as defined in section 

507(4) of the Trade Act of 1974, as 

amended (19 U.S.C. 2467(4)) to workers 

in the country (including any 

designated zone in that country). 

Paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5) and (7) do 

not prevent the designation of any 

country as a CBI beneficiary country if 

the President determines that the 

designation will be in the national 

economic or security interest of the 

United States and reports that 

determination to Congress. 

B. CBERA Factors Determining 

Designation 

In determining whether to designate a 

country as a CBI beneficiary country, 

section 212(c) (19 U.S.C. 2702(c)), 

requires the President to take into 

account the following factors: 

1. An expression of a country’s desire 

to be so designated. 

2. The economic conditions and 

living standards in a country. 

3. The extent to which a country has 

assured the United States that it will 

provide equitable and reasonable access 

to the markets and basic commodity 

resources of the country. 

4. The degree to which the country 

follows the international trade rules of 

the World Trade Organization (WTO). 

5. The degree to which a country uses 

export subsidies or imposes export 

performance requirements or local 

content requirements that distort 

international trade. 

6. The degree to which the trade 

policies of a country as they relate to 

other beneficiary countries are 

contributing to the revitalization of the 

region. 

7. The degree to which a country is 

undertaking self-help measures to 

promote its own economic 

development. 

8. Whether or not a country has taken 

or is taking steps to afford to workers in 

that country (including any designated 

zone in that country) internationally 

recognized worker rights. 

9. The extent to which a country 

provides adequate and effective legal 

means for foreign nationals to secure, 

exercise, and enforce exclusive 

intellectual property rights. 

10. The extent to which a country 

prohibits its nationals from broadcasting 

U.S. copyrighted materials, including 

film and television material, without 

their express consent. 

11. The extent to which a country 

cooperates with the United States in the 

administration of CBI preferences. 

C. CBTPA Eligibility Criteria 

Under section 213(b)(5)(B) (19 U.S.C. 

2703(b)(5)(B)), in considering the 

eligibility of the CBI countries and 

dependent territories that have 

expressed an interest in receiving the 

enhanced preferences of the CBTPA, the 

President must take into account the 

existing eligibility criteria of the 

CBERA, as well as several additional 

criteria elaborated in the CBTPA. These 

additional criteria are: 

1. Whether the beneficiary country 

has demonstrated a commitment to 

undertake its obligations under the 

World Trade Organization (WTO) on or 

ahead of schedule and participate in 

negotiations toward the completion of 

the Free Trade Area of the Americas 

(FTAA) or another free trade agreement. 

2. The extent to which the country 

provides protection of intellectual 

property rights consistent with or 

greater than the protection afforded 

under the Agreement on Trade-Related 

Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. 

3. The extent to which the country 

provides internationally recognized 

worker rights, including: The right of 

association; the right to organize and 

bargain collectively; a prohibition on 

the use of any form of forced or 

compulsory labor; a minimum age for 

the employment of children; and 

acceptable conditions of work with 

respect to minimum wages, hours of 

work, and occupational safety and 

health. 

4. Whether the country has 

implemented its commitments to 

eliminate the worst forms of child labor, 

as defined in section 507(6) of the Trade 

Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 

2467(6)). 

5. The extent to which the country 

has met U.S. counter-narcotics 

certification criteria under the Foreign 

Assistance Act of 1961. 

6. The extent to which the country 

has taken steps to become a party to and 

implement the Inter-American 

Convention Against Corruption. 

7. The extent to which the country 

applies transparent, nondiscriminatory 

and competitive procedures in 

government procurement, and 

contributes to efforts in international 

fora to develop and implement rules on 

transparency in government 

procurement. 

III. Requirements for Submissions 

The TPSC must receive your 

comments by the August 31, 2021 

deadline. You must make all 

submissions in English via 

Regulations.gov, using Docket Number 

USTR–2021–0011. USTR will not accept 

hand-delivered submissions. 

To make a submission using 

Regulations.gov, enter the appropriate 

docket number in the ‘search for’ field 

on the home page and click ‘search.’ 

The site will provide a search-results 

page listing all documents associated 

with this docket. Find a reference to this 

notice by selecting ‘notice’ under 

‘document type’ in the ‘filter results by’ 

section on the left side of the screen and 

click on the link entitled ‘comment 

now.’ You must identify on the first 

page of the submission the subject 

matter of the comment as the ‘CBI 

Report to Congress.’ Regulations.gov 

offers the option of providing comments 

by filling in a ‘type comment’ field or 

by attaching a document using the 

‘upload file(s)’ field. The TPSC prefers 

that you provide submissions in an 

attached document and note ‘see 

attached’ in the ‘type comment’ field on 

the online submission form. 


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36178 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 128 / Thursday, July 8, 2021 / Notices 

The TPSC prefers submissions in 

Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat 

(.pdf) format. If the submission is in 

another file format, please indicate the 

name of the software application in the 

‘Type Comment’ field. File names 

should reflect the name of the person or 

entity submitting the comments. Please 

do not attach separate cover letters to 

electronic submissions; rather, include 

any information that might appear in a 

cover letter in the comments 

themselves. Similarly, to the extent 

possible, please include any exhibits, 

annexes, or other attachments in the 

same file as the comment itself, rather 

than submitting them as separate files. 

Submissions should not exceed 30 

single-spaced, standard letter-size pages 

in 12-point type, including attachments. 

You will receive a tracking number 

upon completion of the submission 

procedure Regulations.gov. The tracking 

number is confirmation that 

Regulations.gov received the 

submission. Keep the confirmation for 

your records. The TPSC is not able to 

provide technical assistance for the 

website. The TPSC may not consider 

documents you do not submit in 

accordance with these instructions. If 

you are unable to provide submissions 

as requested, please contact Magaly 

Garcia, Director for Bolivia, Ecuador, 

and the Caribbean, at magaly.a.garcia@

ustr.eop.gov or 202–395–9597 to arrange 

for an alternative method of 

transmission. 

IV. Business Confidential Submissions 

If you ask the TPSC to treat 

information you submitted as business 

confidential information (BCI), you 

must certify that the information is 

business confidential and that you 

would not customarily release it to the 

public. You must clearly designate BCI 

by marking the submission ‘BUSINESS 

CONFIDENTIAL’ at the top and bottom 

of the cover page and each succeeding 

page, and indicating, via brackets, the 

specific information that is BCI. 

Additionally, you must include 

‘Business Confidential’ in the ‘type 

comment’ field. For any submission 

containing BCI, you separately must 

submit a non-confidential version (i.e., 

an additional submission indicating 

where BCI has been redacted). The 

TPSC will post the non-confidential 

version in the docket and it will be open 

to public inspection. 

V. Public Viewing of Review 

Submissions 

The TPSC will post comments in the 

docket for public inspection, except 

business confidential information. You 

can view comments on Regulations.gov 

by entering the relevant docket number 

in the search field on the home page. 

You can find general information about 

the Office of the United States Trade 

Representative on its website: http://

www.ustr.gov. 

Edward Gresser, 

Chair of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, 

Office of the United States Trade 

Representative. 

[FR Doc. 2021–14601 Filed 7–7–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3290–F1–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2016–0086] 

Petition for Waiver of Compliance 

Under part 211 of title 49 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR), this 

document provides the public notice 

that on June 11, 2021, Kansas City 

Southern Railway Company (KCS) 

petitioned the Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA) to join an existing 

waiver of compliance from certain 

provisions of the Federal railroad safety 

regulations contained at 49 CFR parts 

232 (Brake System Safety Standards for 

Freight and Other Non-Passenger Trains 

and Equipment; End-Of-Train Devices), 

and 229 (Railroad Locomotive Safety 

Standards). The relevant FRA Docket 

Number is FRA–2016–0086. 

Specifically, KCS requests to join a 

waiver previously granted to CSX 

Transportation (CSX) and BNSF 

Railway (BNSF), and be granted relief 

from 49 CFR 232.205(c)(1)(iii), Class I 

brake test-initial terminal inspection, 

and 229.29(b), Air brake system 

calibration, maintenance, and testing, 

related to air flow method (AFM) 

indicator calibration intervals. The relief 

granted to CSX and BNSF allows the 

railroads to test extending the AFM test 

intervals from 92 days to 184 days on 

locomotives equipped with the New 

York Air Brake (NYAB) CCB–II air brake 

systems. KCS seeks to form a test waiver 

team operating under the current test 

committee overseeing the relief in FRA– 

2016–0086 to test 376 NYAB CCBIIequipped locomotives owned by KCS. 

KCS states that it has been an active 

member of the Association of American 

Railroads Locomotive Committee and is 

familiar with the work performed by the 

FRA–2016–0086 test committee. 

A copy of the petition, as well as any 

written communications concerning the 

petition, is available for review online at 

www.regulations.gov. 

Interested parties are invited to 

participate in these proceedings by 

submitting written views, data, or 

comments. FRA does not anticipate 

scheduling a public hearing in 

connection with these proceedings since 

the facts do not appear to warrant a 

hearing. If any interested party desires 

an opportunity for oral comment and a 

public hearing, they should notify FRA, 

in writing, before the end of the 

comment period and specify the basis 

for their request. 

All communications concerning these 

proceedings should identify the 

appropriate docket number and may be 

submitted by any of the following 

methods: 

• Website: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: Docket Operations Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

(DOT), 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, W12– 

140, Washington, DC 20590. 

Communications received by August 

23, 2021 will be considered by FRA 

before final action is taken. Comments 

received after that date will be 

considered if practicable. 

Anyone can search the electronic 

form of any written communications 

and comments received into any of our 

dockets by the name of the individual 

submitting the comment (or signing the 

document, if submitted on behalf of an 

association, business, labor union, etc.). 

Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 

comments from the public to better 

inform its processes. DOT posts these 

comments, without edit, including any 

personal information the commenter 

provides, to www.regulations.gov, as 

described in the system of records 

notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can 

be reviewed at https://

www.transportation.gov/privacy. See 

also https://www.regulations.gov/ 

privacy-notice for the privacy notice of 

regulations.gov. 

Issued in Washington, DC. 

John Karl Alexy, 

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, 

Chief Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2021–14538 Filed 7–7–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2020–0064] 

Petition for Waiver of Compliance 

Under part 211 of title 49 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR), this 

document provides the public notice 

that on June 15, 2021, BNSF Railway 


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