The BBC reported yesterday Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced a strategy signed by President Obama to secure the global supply chain. The BBC article sounded very promising that the U.S. administration would protect all consumers from supply chain disruptions resulting from natural diasters or terrorist activities. Sounds comforting but I tend to believe we should wait and see what "quick" actions the administration intends to implement to secure cargo on land, sea and in the air as well as the final recommendations due in January 2013. I'm a bit more leary of how the great intentions to "securing our supply chain" will produce more regulatory burden on transportation intermediaries and manufacturing/distribution facilities.

If your company is currently shipping defense articles it is a good idea to pay close attention to the Export Reform changes coming in the first half of 2012.

If there are needed regulatory changes not currently scheduled to be modified under Export Reform, please review the Regulatory Retrospective under EO13563. Comments are to be submitted before February 1, 2012.