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🌍Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is finalizing a general applicability public interest waiver of the requirements of section 70914(a) of the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) and related domestic preference statutes administered by DOT and its Operating Administrations (OAs) for federal financial assistance awarded for infrastructure projects located in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, and American Samoa, collectively referred to as the Pacific Island territories. The waiver would also apply to discretionary grant assistance provided by DOT to the Freely Associated States (the Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Federated States of Micronesia) in the Pacific that is subject to a domestic preference statute (which does not include BABA, as that statute only applies to the United States and its territories). The waiver will remain in effect for five years after the effective date of the final waiver. This action also terminates the previously issued temporary general applicability waiver for this region.

📜NIST Requests Comments on AI Misuse Risk Management Guidelines

The U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (AISI), housed within NIST at the Department of Commerce, requests comments on an updated draft document responsive to Section 4.1(a)(ii) and Section 4.1(a)(ii)(A) of Executive Order 14110 on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) issued on October 30, 2023 (E.O. 14110). This draft document, NIST AI 800-1, Managing Misuse Risk for Dual-Use Foundation Models, can be found at https:// nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ai/NIST.AI.800-1.ipd2.pdf. This document is an update to an initial public draft and includes changes based on the previous round of public comment, as well as two new appendices that apply these guidelines to (1) chemical and biological misuse risk and (2) cyber misuse risk.

💳CFPB Proposes New Rules for Electronic Fund Transfers and Compliance

In light of interest by electronic fund transfer system market participants to offer new types of products to transfer funds and make purchases through accounts established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is proposing this interpretive rule to assist companies, investors, and other market participants evaluating existing statutory and regulatory requirements governing electronic fund transfers (EFTs).

⚖️FMC Complaint Against Ocean Carriers

⚖️New FAR Changes Address Organizational Conflicts for Contractors

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the Preventing Organizational Conflicts of Interest in Federal Acquisition Act. The statute requires the FAR to provide and update definitions, guidance, and examples related to organizational conflicts of interest, including the creation of solicitation provisions and contract clauses to avoid or mitigate organizational conflicts of interest. The statute also requires the FAR to permit contracting officers to consider professional standards and procedures to prevent organizational conflicts of interest to which an offeror or contractor is subject.

🔒Federal Acquisition Regulation Amendments

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the National Archives and Records Administration's Controlled Unclassified Information Program enacted under an Executive Order entitled Controlled Unclassified Information.

⚡Combined Notice of Filings from the Energy Regulatory Commission

📈USPTO Finalizes Trademark Fee Adjustments for FY 2025

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is correcting nonsubstantive errors in the preamble and regulatory text of a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on November 18, 2024. That final rule set or adjusted trademark fees as authorized by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), as amended by the Study of Underrepresented Classes Chasing Engineering and Science Success Act of 2018 (SUCCESS Act). This action is necessary to address potential confusion for impacted entities that could result if these errors are not corrected. These corrections do not result in any substantive changes to the final rule.

📄Notice on Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Information Collection

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing a revision of a currently approved information collection request (ICR).

🏥Proposed Guidance for Tribal Maternal Health Home Visiting Program

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD) is requesting revisions to the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Community Needs and Readiness Assessment Guidance and Implementation Plan Guidance (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #: 0970-0611; expiration June 30, 2026) and a 3-year extension of approval.