3800 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 23 / Friday, February 2, 1996 / Rules and Regulations

6 16 CFR 303.15(c).

7 In addition, certain hosiery products which can

be machine washed and dried at hot settings

without damage and without transferring their dye

to other fabrics, and which sell at retail for less than

$3.00, need not provide any form of care

instructions.

8Commercial Standard CS 46–49 (last revised in

1990).

9Section 5 of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 45(a)(1),

prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or

affecting commerce.

affixed to the product itself.6 Under the

Care Labeling Rule, items of textile

wearing apparel must be labeled with

appropriate care instructions. For most

such items, the care instructions must

appear on a label permanently attached

to the product. However, hosiery

products have been granted an

exemption from the labeling

requirement if care instructions

accompany the product on a tag or on

packaging.7

In addition, the Commission notes

that industry self-regulation efforts, led

by the NAHM, already exist in certain

technical areas. For example, the

industry currently conforms sizing of all

hosiery products to a set of voluntary

standards.8

For these reasons, the Commission

concludes that it is unnecessary to

retain guides specific to the hosiery

industry and therefore is rescinding the

Guides. If, in the future, practices in the

sale of hosiery are determined to be

materially misleading and to cause

consumer harm, the Commission can

address such practices under Section 5

of the Federal Trade Commission Act.9

The Commission appreciates the

concerns raised by the commenters. It

declines, however, to expand the

coverage of the guides as recommended.

First, some of the areas suggested for

inclusion in the guides are beyond the

Commission’s authority under the FTC

Act, which is the basis for the content

of the guides. Second, the Commission

believes that existing rules governing

care labeling and labeling of textile

products are adequate to protect

consumers from deceptive claims

concerning the attributes and care of

hosiery products.

List of Subjects in 16 CFR Part 22

Advertising, Hosiery, Labeling, Trade

practices.

By direction of the Commission.

Donald S. Clark,

Secretary.

PART 22—[REMOVED]

The Commission, under authority of

section 18 of the Federal Trade

Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. 57a, amends

chapter I of title 16 of the Code of

Federal Regulations by removing Part

22.

[FR Doc. 96–2261 Filed 2–1–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6750–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

22 CFR Part 9b

[Public Notice 2273]

Bureau of Public Affairs; Press

Building Passes

AGENCY: Bureau of Public Affairs, State.

ACTION: Direct final rule.

SUMMARY: This rule eliminates the

requirement for annual submission of a

letter from press pass holders attesting

that they continue to cover the

Department of State on a regular and

substantial basis to maintain their press

passes. Instead, press building passes

will automatically lose their validity if

not used in a 12-month period without

further notification to the pass holder.

This rule also changes the period of

validity for press building passes and

allows issuance of press passes pending

positive completion of international

background investigation. The changes

will reduce the administrative burden

on press pass holders, as well as on the

Department.

DATES: Effective Date: April 2, 1996. The

rule will become final on April 2, 1996

unless this agency publishes a

document withdrawing the rule based

on receipt of adverse comments which

are due on or before March 4, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are

invited to submit comments to: Director,

Office of Press Relations, Department of

State, Washington, DC 20520.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Julie M. Reside, Office of Press Relations

(202) 647–2492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

implementation of this rule as a direct

final rule is based upon the ‘‘good

cause’’ exception found at 5 U.S.C.

553(d)(3). Promulgation notice and

comment is ‘‘unnecessary’’ because the

rule is noncontroversial and not likely

to engender public comment. This rule

is not expected to have a significant

impact on small business entities. This

final rule does not impose information

collection requirements under the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980. The

rule has been reviewed as required

under Executive Order 12778 and

certified to be in compliance therewith.

The rule is exempt from review under

Executive Order 12866, but has been

reviewed internally by the Department

to ensure consistency with the

objectives thereof.

List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 9b

Administrative practice and

procedure, Federal buildings and

facilities, News media, Security

measures.

For the reasons set forth in the

preamble, the Department of State

amends 22 CFR part 9b as follows:

PART 9b—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for 22 CFR

part 9b continues to read as follows:

Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2658.

2. Section 9b.8 is revised to read as

follows:

§ 9b.8 Term and renewal of Department of

State press building passes.

(a) Department of State press building

passes for U.S. citizens are issued with

three years’ validity. Subject to positive

completion of an international

background check, passes for non-U.S.

citizens are issued with one year’s

validity and may be renewed for three

years. Notwithstanding its initial

validity, any press building pass that

has not been used for a twelve-month

period, as recorded by the Bureau of

Diplomatic Security’s turnstyle entry

devices, will become invalid at the end

of that twelve-month period.

(b) For any valid passes issued before

October 1, 1995, notification shall be

sent by the Department of State to the

holder of the pass that the pass has

become invalid by reason of lack of use

for 12-month period. However, failure of

the holder for any reason to receive such

a notification shall not affect the

invalidity of the pass. Anyone whose

pass has become invalid may apply for

a new pass in accordance with §§ 9b.2

through 9b.5.

Richard M. Moose,

Under Secretary of State for Management.

[FR Doc. 96–1258 Filed 2–1–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4710–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

30 CFR Parts 206 and 260

RIN 1010–AB93

Bidding Systems for Leases in the

Outer Continental Shelf

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.