Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Notices 51399 

SUMMARY: In June 2005, the Commission 

published a notice of possible policy 

priorities for the amendment cycle 

ending May 1, 2006. See 70 FR 37145 

(June 28, 2005). After reviewing public 

comment received pursuant to the 

notice of proposed priorities, the 

Commission has identified its policy 

priorities for the upcoming amendment 

cycle and hereby gives notice of these 

policy priorities. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michael Courlander, Public Affairs 

Officer, Telephone: (202) 502–4590. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

United States Sentencing Commission is 

an independent agency in the judicial 

branch of the United States 

Government. The Commission 

promulgates sentencing guidelines and 

policy statements for federal sentencing 

courts pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(a). The 

Commission also periodically reviews 

and revises previously promulgated 

guidelines pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(o) 

and submits guideline amendments to 

the Congress not later than the first day 

of May each year pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

994(p). 

As part of its statutory authority and 

responsibility to analyze sentencing 

issues, including operation of the 

federal sentencing guidelines, the 

Commission has identified its policy 

priorities for the amendment cycle 

ending May 1, 2006, and possibly 

continuing into the amendment cycle 

ending May 1, 2007. While the 

Commission intends to address these 

priority issues, it recognizes that other 

factors, most notably changes that may 

be required as a result of United States 

v. Booker, 543 U.S. ll (2005), 125 

S.Ct. 738 (2005), as well as the 

enactment of any legislation requiring 

Commission action, may affect the 

Commission’s ability to complete work 

on any or all policy issues by the 

statutory deadline of May 1, 2006. 

The Commission’s policy priorities 

for the upcoming amendment cycle are 

as follows: 

(1) Implementation of crime 

legislation enacted during the 108th 

Congress and the first session of the 

109th Congress warranting a 

Commission response, including (A) the 

Family Entertainment and Copyright 

Act of 2005, Public Law 109–9; (B) the 

Intellectual Property Protection and 

Courts Amendment Act of 2004, Public 

Law 108–482; (C) the Anabolic Steroids 

Act, Public Law 108–358 (and as part of 

its work on this Act, examination of 

offenses involving human growth 

hormones under 21 U.S.C. 333(e)); (D) 

the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism 

Reform Act of 2004, Public Law 108–

458; and (E) other legislation, amending 

statutory penalties and creating new 

offenses, that requires incorporation 

into the guidelines; 

(2) Assessment of the Justice for All 

Act of 2004, Public Law 108–405, and 

other statutes pertaining to victims’

rights; 

(3) Continuation of its work with the 

congressional, executive, and judicial 

branches of the government and other 

interested parties on appropriate 

responses to United States v. Booker, 

including any appropriate guideline 

changes, and a report on the effects of 

Booker on federal sentencing, including 

an analysis of sentencing data collected 

within the first year of that decision; 

(4) Continuation of its policy work 

regarding immigration offenses, 

specifically, offenses under §§ 2L1.1 

(Smuggling, Transporting, or Harboring 

an Unlawful Alien) and 2L1.2 

(Unlawfully Entering or Remaining in 

the United States), and Chapter Two, 

Part L, Subpart 2 (Naturalization and 

Passports); 

(5) Continuation of its work with the 

congressional, executive, and judicial 

branches of the government and other 

interested parties on cocaine sentencing 

policy, including the update of 

Commission research, in view of the 

Commission’s 2002 report to Congress, 

Cocaine and Federal Sentencing Policy; 

(6) Review, and possible amendment, 

of commentary in Chapter Eight 

(Organizations) regarding waiver of the 

attorney-client privilege and work 

product protections; 

(7) Review, and possible amendment, 

of guideline provisions pertaining to 

firearms offenses, particularly the 

trafficking of firearms, and of departure 

provisions related to firearms offenses; 

(8) Consideration of policy statements 

pertaining to motions under 18 U.S.C. 

3582(c)(1)(A)(i) for sentence reductions 

for ‘‘extraordinary and compelling 

reasons’’; 

(9) Resolution of a number of circuit 

conflicts, pursuant to the Commission’s 

continuing authority and responsibility, 

under 28 U.S.C. 991(b)(1)(B) and 

Braxton v. United States, 500 U.S. 344 

(1991), to resolve conflicting 

interpretations of the guidelines by the 

federal courts; and 

(10) Review, and possible 

amendment, of pertinent guideline 

provisions to address structural issues 

regarding the Sentencing Table in 

Chapter Five, Part A, particularly ‘‘clifflike’’ effects occurring between levels 42 

and 43, and a possible adjustment to the 

offense level computation in cases in 

which the offense level exceeds level 

43, and to address other miscellaneous 

and limited issues pertaining to the 

application of the sentencing guidelines. 

Authority: 28 U.S.C. 994(a), (o); USSC 

Rules of Practice and Procedure 5.2. 

Ricardo H. Hinojosa, 

Chair. 

[FR Doc. 05–17186 Filed 8–29–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 2210–40–P 

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

National Small Business Development 

Center Advisory Board; Public Meeting 

The U.S. Small Business 

Administration, Office of Small 

Business Development Centers, National 

Advisory Board will be hosting its 

annual quarterly meeting to discuss 

such matters that may be presented by 

members, the staff of the U.S. Small 

Business Administration, and interested 

others. The meeting is scheduled for 

Wednesday, September 7, 2005, starting 

at 2:45 until 6 p.m. Eastern Standard 

Time. The meeting will take place at the 

Marriott Waterfront Hotel, 700 

Aliceanna Street, Board Room, 

Baltimore, MD 21202. 

Anyone wishing to attend must 

contact Erika Fischer, Senior Program 

Analyst, U.S. Small Business 

Administration, Office of Small 

Business Development Centers, 409 3rd 

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416, 

telephone (202) 205–7045 or fax (202) 

481–0681. 

Matthew K. Becker, 

Committee Management Officer. 

[FR Doc. 05–17171 Filed 8–29–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

National Small Business Development 

Center Advisory Board; Public Meeting 

A Dialogue with the Small Business 

Development Center (SBDC) National 

Advisory Board will take place at the 

Association of SBDCs National 

Conference in Baltimore, Maryland on 

Thursday, September 8, 2005, starting at 

10:30 a.m. until noon. This session will 

take place at the Marriott Waterfront 

Hotel, 700 Aliceanna Street, Board 

Room, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. The 

‘‘Dialogue’’ session is an opportunity for 

state and regional SBDC Directors to 

discuss any issues (programmatic, 

policy, etc.) regarding the SBDC 

Program with the Board. 

Anyone wishing to attend must 

contact Erika Fischer, Senior Program 

Analyst, U.S. Small Business 

Administration, Office of Small