January 24, 2008

ANSI Congressional Standards Update

ANSI Congressional Standards Updateis a monthly, electronic newsletter produced and distributed free of charge to members of Congress and their staff by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). For a complete listing of ANSI news and events, please visit our website,ANSI Online.

HEADLINES

A summary of this issue’s top stories…

HHS Secretary Recognizes Products of HITSP Standards Work
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt recognized the first set of interoperability standards developed by the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel.

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Toy Industry Set to DeliverReport on Safety Conformance Program
The U.S. Toy Industry Association, in conjunction with ANSI and a working group of safety experts and industry, government, and consumer leaders, has announced that a new safety assurance program for toys will be published for public review and comment on February 1, 2008.
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FERC Approves New Standards to Shield the Power Grid from Malicious Disruption
In an effort to safeguard the nation’s electrical grid from disruption by cyber attackers, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued a final rule approving eight mandatory security standards that apply to all users, owners, and operators of the U.S. bulk power system.
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Food and Drug Administration Announces Modifications to List of Recognized Standards
The FDA recently issued an updated list of consensus standards for use in evaluating medical devices before they are approved by the agency for market entry.
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U.S. Department of Energy Establishes Energy Efficiency Requirements for Federal Buildings
Based on ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2004, new regulations finalized by the DOE can be expected to save taxpayers more than $776 million dollars over the next ten years.
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ANSI President Travels to India in Support of Greater U.S.-Indo Cooperation
On December 20, ANSI and the Confederation of Indian Industry came together with the Bureau of Indian Standards to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, making a formal commitment to the advancement of trade between the U.S. and India.
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Unmanned Vehicle Drives Progress in Transportation Safety
Just recently ANSI member General Motors demonstrated its new, totally unmanned vehicle at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
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Did You Know?
Did You Know?offers a quick look at the broad scope of activities underway within the ANSI Federation, highlighting the people and initiatives making waves in standardization.In this issue: ARI and GAMA announce merger, CEA debuts TV installation education initiative, “What is NIST?” video is now available, and Green Seal seeks ANSI accreditation.
People on the Move
People on the Move spotlights trailblazers in standardization, highlighting their latest achievements, advancements, and contributions to the standards community.In this issue: Robert Ratliff, Anna Schmitt-Reichert, and Michelle Rzendzian.

PUBLICATIONS

Take advantage of more great information…
Overview of the U.S. Standardization System
This document will provide a greater understanding of the U.S. voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment infrastructure.
United States Standards Strategy
The USSS establishes a framework to advance trade issues in the global marketplace, enhance consumer health and safety, and further U.S. viewpoints in the regional and international arena.

National Conformity Assessment Principles for the United States

This document articulates principles for conformity assessment activities in the United States.

2006-2007 ANSI Annual Report
The theme, today | tomorrow, speaks to ANSI’s commitment to enabling solutions that will support long term growth.
Check out our otherpublicationsanddocuments of interest.

CALENDAR

Please check the Events Section of ANSI Online regularly for updated and new event information.

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