U.S. Federal Register Update

March 8, 2011 – March14, 2011

The U.S. Federal Register Update contains summaries of entries in the U.S. Federal Register that relate to the standards and conformity assessment community. This update is provided on a weekly basis by ANSI as a service to its members as part of the ANSI What’s New? email newsletter.

To access the full Federal Register entry for any of the summaries below, please visit www.federalregister.gov, and enter the first page number of the announcement you would like to view. For more information on keywords used to search FR announcements, please click here.


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Items of Interest

Topic Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997: Modifications to the List of Recognized Standards, Recognition List Number: 026

Date-FR-Doc.-Pages 3/14/2011 pp. 13631-13638

Reference AAMI, ADA, ASA, ASME, ASTM, ISO, NEMA, RESNA, UL

Summary The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing a publication containing modifications the Agency is making to the list of standards FDA recognizes for use in premarket reviews (FDA recognized consensus standards). This publication, entitled “Modifications to the List of Recognized Standards, Recognition List Number: 026”, will assist manufacturers who elect to declare conformity with consensus standards to meet certain requirements for medical devices.


Topic Implementing the Provisions of the Communications Act of 1934, as Enacted by the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010

Date-FR-Doc.-Pages 3/14/2011 pp. 13800-13849

Reference ATIS, IEEE, TIA

Summary The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposes to adopt rules that implement provisions in section 104 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), the most significant piece of accessibility legislation since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. This proceeding would update and amend the Commission's rules to ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to fully utilize advanced communications services (ACS) and equipment and networks used for such services. Specifically, the FCC seeks comment on ways to implement the CVAA's requirements on providers of ACS and manufacturers of equipment used for ACS to make their services and products accessible to people with disabilities. The intended effect is to promote rapid deployment of and universal access to broadband services for all Americans across the country, because broadband technology can stimulate economic growth and provide opportunity for all Americans. The comment period ends April 13, 2011.


Topic Ensuring the Safety of Imported Foods and Animal Feed: Comparability of Food Safety Systems and Import Practices of Foreign Countries; Public Hearing; Request for Comments

Date-FR-Doc.-Pages 3/14/2011 pp. 13638-13642

Reference Food safety, FDA

Summary The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing a public hearing regarding new FDA initiatives for ensuring the safety of foods and animal feed imported into the United States. The purpose of the public hearing is to provide stakeholders the opportunity to discuss FDA's use of international comparability assessments as a mechanism to enhance the safety of imported foods and animal feed and lessons learned through equivalence determinations. In addition, there will be a separate discussion of FDA's efforts to gather information from regulators in other countries regarding the regulatory policies, practices, and programs they currently use to ensure the safety of foods and animal feed imported into their countries.