128.1 Exclusion of functions from the Administrative Procedure
Act.
128.2 Presiding Official.
128.3 Institution of administrative proceedings.
128.4 Default.
128.5 Answer and demand for oral hearing.
128.6 Discovery.
128.7 Prehearing conference.
128.8 Hearings.
128.9 Proceedings before and report of Presiding
Official.
128.10 Disposition of proceedings.
128.11 Consent agreements.
128.12 Rehearings.
128.13 Appeals.
128.14 Confidentiality of proceedings.
128.15 Orders containing probationary periods.
128.16 Extension of time.
128.17 Availability of orders.
Authority: Secs. 2, 38, 40, 42, and 71, Arms Export Control Act. 90 Stat. 744 (22 U.S.C. 2752, 2778, 2780, 2791, and 2797); E.O. 11958, 42 FR 4311: 22 U.S.C. 2658; E.O. 12291, 46 FR 1981.
The Arms Export Control Act authorizes the President to control the import and export of defense articles and services in furtherance of world peace and the security and foreign policy of the United States. It authorizes the Secretary of State to make decisions on whether licenses shall be granted, as well as to revoke, suspend or amend licenses whenever the Secretary deems such action to be advisable. The administration of the Arms Export Control Act is a foreign affairs function and is thus encompassed within the meaning of the military and foreign affairs exclusion of the Administrative Procedure Act and is thereby expressly exempt from various provisions of that Act. Because the exercising of the foreign affairs function, including the decisions required to implement the Arms Export Control Act, is highly discretionary, it is excluded from review under the Administrative Procedure Act.
The Presiding Official referred to in this part is the Presiding Official of the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce, as provided in 15 CFR 388.2. The Presiding Official is authorized to exercise the powers and perform the duties provided for in §§ 127.6, 127.7 of this subchapter and §§ 128.3 through 128.16.
(a) Charging letters. The Director, Office of Munitions Control, with the concurrence of the Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State, may initiate debarment proceedings in accordance with § 127.6 of this subchapter or civil penalties in accordance with § 127.9 of this subchapter. Administrative proceedings shall be initiated by means of a charging letter. The charging letter will state the essential facts constituting the alleged violation and refer to the regulatory or other provisions involved. It will give notice that if the respondent to answer the charges with 30 days, as provided in § 128.5(a), and indicate that a failure to answer will be taken as an admission of the truth of the charges. It will inform the respondent that he or she is entitled to an oral hearing if a written demand for one is filed with the answer or within 7 days after service of the answer. The respondent will also be informed that he or she may, if so desired, be represented by counsel of his or her choosing. Charging letters may be amended from time to time, upon reasonable notice.
(b) Service. A charging letter is served upon a respondent:
(1) If the respondent is a resident of the United States, when it is mailed postage prepaid in a wrapper addressed to the respondent at his or her last known address; or when left with the respondent or the agent or employee of the respondent; or when left at the respondent's dwelling with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing herein; or
(2) If the respondent is a non-resident of the United States, when served upon the respondent by any of the foregoing means. If such methods of service are not practicable or appropriate, the charging letter may be tendered for service on the respondent to an official of the government of the country wherein the respondent resides, provided that there is an agreement or understanding between the United States Government and the government of the country wherein the respondent resident permitting this action.
(a) Failure to answer. If the respondent fails to answer the charging letter, the respondent may be held in default. The case shall then be referred to the Presiding Official for consideration in a manner as the Presiding Official may consider appropriate. Any order issued shall have the same effect as an order issued following the disposition of contested charges.
(b) Petition to set aside defaults. Upon showing good cause,
any respondent against whom a default order has been issued may apply to
set aside the default and vacate the order entered thereon. The petition
shall be submitted in duplicate to the Assistant Secretary for Politico-Military
Affairs, U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20520.
The Director will refer the petition to the Presiding Official for consideration
and a recommendation. The Presiding Official will consider the application
and may order a hearing and require the respondent to submit further evidence
in support of his or her petition.
(a) When to answer. The respondent is required to answer
the charging letter
within 30 days after service.
(b) Contents of answer. An answer must be responsive to
the charging letter. It must fully set forth the nature of the respondent's
defense or defenses. In the answer, the respondent must admit or deny
specifically each separate allegation of the charging letter, unless the
respondent is without knowledge, in which case the respondent's answer shall
so state and the statement shall operate as a denial. Failure to deny or
controvert any particular allegation will be deemed an admission thereof.
The answer may set forth such additional or new matter as the respondent
believes supports a defense or claim of mitigation. Any defense or partial
defense not specifically set forth in an answer shall be deemed waived. Evidence
offered thereon by the respondent at a hearing may be refused except upon
good cause being shown. If the respondent does not demand an oral hearing,
he or she shall transmit, within 7 days after the service of his or her answer,
original or photocopies of all correspondence, papers, records, affidavits,
and other documentary or written evidence having any bearing upon or connection
with the matters in issue. If any such materials are in language other than
English, translations into English shall be submitted at the same time.
(c) Submission of answer. The answer, written demand for
oral hearing (if any) and supporting evidence required by § 128.5(b)
shall be in duplicate and mailed or delivered to the Office of EAR Administration
Proceedings, United States Department of Commerce, room 3810, 14th Street
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. A copy shall be
simultaneously mailed or delivered to the Director, Office of Munitions Control,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20520.
(a) Discovery by the respondent. The respondent, through
the Presiding Official, may request from the Office of Munitions Control
any relevant information, not privileged, that may be necessary or helpful
in preparing a defense. The Office of Munitions Control any relevant information,
not privileged, that may be necessary or helpful in preparing a defense.
The Office of Munitions Control may supply summaries in place of original
documents and may withhold information from discovery if necessary to comply
with any statute, executive order or regulation requiring that the information
not be disclosed. The respondent may request the Presiding Officer to request
any relevant information, books, records, or other evidence, from any other
person or government agency so long as the request is reasonable in scope
and not unduly burdensome.
(b) Discovery by the Office of Munitions Control. The Office
of Munitions Control or the Presiding Official may request from the respondent
admissions of facts, answers to interrogatories, the production of books,
records, or other relevant evidence, so long as the request is relevant and
material, reasonable in scope, and not unduly burdensome.
(c) Subpoenas. At the request of any party, the Presiding
Official may issue subpoenas, returnable before him, requiring the attendance
of witnesses and the production of books, records, and other documentary
or physical evidence determined by the Presiding Official to be relevant
and material to the proceedings, reasonable in scope, and not unduly burdensome.
(d) Enforcement of discovery rights. If the Office of Munitions
Control fails to provide the respondent with information in its possession
which is not otherwi available and which is necessary to the respondent's
defense, the Presiding Official may dismiss the charges on her or his own
motion or on a motion of the respondent. If the respondent fails to respond
with reasonable diligence to the requests for discovery by the Office of
Munitions Control or the Presiding Official, on her or his own motion or
motion of the Office of Munitions Control, and upon such notice to the respondent
as the Presiding Official may direct, may strike respondent's answer and
declare the respondent in default, or make any other ruling which the Presiding
Official deems necessary and just under the circumstances. If a third party
fails to respond to the request for information, the Presiding Official shall
consider whether the evidence sought is necessary to a fair hearing, and
if it is so necessary that a fair hearing may not be held without it, the
Presiding Official shall dismiss the charges.
(a) The Presiding Official may, upon his own motion or
upon motion of any party, request the parties or their counsel to a prehearing
conference to consider (1) simplification of issues; (2) the necessity or
desirability of amendments to pleadings; (3) obtaining stipulations of fact
and of documents to avoid unnecessary proof; or (4) such other matter as
may expedite the disposition of the proceeding. The Presiding Official will
prepare a summary of the action agreed upon or taken at the conference, and
will incorporate therein any written stipulations or agreements made by the
parties. The conference proceedings may be recorded magnetically or taken
by a reporter and transcribed, and filed with the Presiding Official.
(b) If a conference is impracticable, the Presiding Official
may request the parties to correspond with him or her to achieve the purposes
of a conference. The Presiding Official shall prepare a summary of action
taken as in the case of a conference.
(a) A respondent who had not filed a timely written answer
is not entitled to a hearing, and the case may be considered by the Presiding
Official as provided in § 128.4(a). If any answer is filed, but no oral
hearing demanded, the Presiding Official may proceed to consider the case
upon the written pleadings and evidence available. The Presiding Official
may provide for the making of the record in such manner as the Presiding
Official deems appropriate. If respondent answers and demands an oral hearing,
the Presiding Official, upon due notice, shall set the case for hearing,
unless a respondent has raised in his answer no issues of material fact to
be determined. If respondent fails to appear at a scheduled hearing, the
hearing nevertheless may proceed in respondent's absence. The respondent's
failure to appear will not affect the validity of the hearing or any proceedings
or action thereafter.
(b) The Presiding Official may administer oaths and
affirmations. Respondent may be represented by counsel. Unless otherwise
agreed by the parties and the Presiding Official, the proceeding will be
taken by a reporter or by magnetic recording, transcribed, and filed with
the Presiding Official. Respondent may examine the transcript and may obtain
a copy upon payment of proper costs.
(a) The Presiding Official may conform any part of the
proceedings before him or her to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The
record may be made available in any other administrative or other proceeding
involving the same respondent.
(b) The Presiding Official, after considering the record,
will prepare a written report. The report will include findings of fact,
findings of law, a finding whether a law or regulation has been violated,
and the Presiding Official's recommendations. It shall be transmitted to
the Assistant Secretary for Politico-Military Affairs, Department of State.
Where the evidence is not sufficient to support the charges,
the Director, Office of Munitions Control or the Presiding Official will
dismiss the charges. Where the Presiding Official finds that a violation
has been committed, the Presiding Official's recommendation shall be advisory
only. The Assistant Secretary for Politico-Military Affairs will review the
record, consider the report of the Presiding Official, and make an appropriate
disposition of the case. The Director may issue an order debarring the respondent
from participating in the export of defense articles or technical data or
the furnishing of defense services as provided in § 127.6 of this
subchapter, impose a civil penalty as provided in § 127.9 of this subchapter
or take such other action as the presiding Official deems appropriate. Any
debarment order will be effective for the period of time specified therein
and may contain such additional terms and conditions as are deemed appropriate.
A copy of the order together with a copy of the Presiding Official's report
will be served upon the respondent.
(a) The Office of Munitions Control and the respondent
may, by agreement, submit to the Presiding Official a proposal for the issuance
of a consent order. The Presiding Official will review the facts of the case
and the proposal and may conduct conferences with the parties and may require
the presentation of evidence in the case. If the Presiding Official does
not approve the proposal, the Presiding Official will notify the parties
and the case will proceed as though no consent proposal had been made. If
the proposal is approved, the Presiding Official will report the facts of
the case along with recommendations to the Assistant Secretary for
Politico-Military Affairs. If the Director does not approve the proposal,
the case will proceed as though no consent proposal has been made. If the
Director approves the proposal, an appropriate order may be issued.
(b) Cases may also be settled prior to service of a charging
letter. In such an event, a proposed charging letter shall be prepared, and
a consent agreement and order shall be submitted for the approval and signature
of the Assistant Secretary for Politico-Military Affairs, and no action by
the Presiding Official shall be required. Cases which are settled may not
be reopened or appealed.
The Presiding Official may grant a rehearing or reopen
a proceeding at any time for the purpose of hearing any relevant and material
evidence which was not known or obtainable at the time of the original hearing.
A report for rehearing or reopening must contain a summary of such evidence,
and must explain the reasons why it could not have been presented at the
original hearing. The Presiding Official will inform the parties of any further
hearing, and will conduct such hearing and submit a report and recommendations
in the same manner as provided for the original proceeding (described in
§ 128.10).
(a) Filing of appeals. An appeal must be in writing, and
be addressed to and filed with the Under Secretary of State for Security
Assistance, Science and Technology, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520.
An appeal from a final order denying export privileges or imposing civil
penalties must be filed within 30 days after receipt of a copy of the order.
If the Under Secretary cannot for any reason act on the appeal, he or she
may designate another Department of State official to receive and act on
the appeal.
(b) Grounds and conditions for appeal. The respondent may
appeal from the debarment or from the imposition of a civil penalty (except
the imposition of civil penalties pursuant to a consent order pursuant to
§ 128.11) upon the ground: (1) That the findings of a violation are
not supported by any substantial evidence; (2) that a prejudicial error of
law was committed: or (3) that the provisions of the order are arbitrary,
capricious, or an abuse of discretion. The appeal must specify upon which
of these grounds the appeal is based and must indicate from which provisions
of the order the appeal is taken. An appeal from an order issued upon default
will not be entertained if the respondent has failed to seek relief as provided
in § 128.4(b).
(c) Matters considered on appeal. An appeal will be considered
upon the basis of the assembled record. This record consists of (but is not
limited to) the charging letter, the respondent's answer, the transcript
or magnetic recording of the hearing before the Presiding Official, the report
of the Presiding Official, the order of the Assistant Secretary for
Politico-Military Affairs, and any other relevant documents involved in the
proceedings before the Presiding Official. The Under Secretary for Security
Assistance, Science and Technology may direct a rehearing and reopening before
the Presiding Official if he or she finds that the record is insufficient
or that new evidence is relevant and material to the issues and was not known
and was not available to the respondent at the time of the original hearings.
(d) Effect of appeals. The taking of an appeal will not
stay the operation of any order.
(e) Preparation of appeals.-(1) General requirements. An
appeal shall be in letter form. The appeal and accompanying material should
be filed in duplicate, unless otherwise indicated, and a copy simultaneously
mailed or delivered to the Director, Office of Munitions Control, Department
of State, Washington, DC 20520.
(2) Oral presentation. The Under Secretary for Security
Assistance, Science and Technology may grant the appellant an opportunity
for oral argument and will set the time and place for oral argument and will
notify the parties, ordinarily at least 10 days before the date set.
(f) Decisions. All appeals will be considered and decided
within a reasonable time after they are filed. An appeal may be granted or
denied in whole or in part, or dismissed at the request of the appellant.
The decision of the Under Secretary for Security Assistance, Science and
Technology will be final.
Proceedings under this part are confidential. The documents
referred to in § 128.17 are not, however, deemed to be confidential
Reports of the Presiding Official and copies of transcripts or recordings
of hearings will be available to parties and, to the extent of their own
testimony, to witnesses. All records are available to any U.S. Government
agency showing a proper interest therein.
(a) Revocation of probationary periods. A debarment or
interim suspension order may set a probationary period during which the order
may be held in abeyance for all or part of the debarment or suspension period,
subject to the conditions stated therein. The Director, Office of Munitions
Control, may apply, without notice to any person to be affected thereby,
to the Presiding Official for an order revoking probation when it appears
that the conditions of the probation have been breached. The facts in support
of the application will be presented to the Presiding Official, who will
report thereon and make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for
Politico-Military Affairs. The latter will make a determination whether to
revoke probation and will issue an appropriate order.
(b) Hearing-(1) Objections upon notice. Any person affected
by an application upon notice to revoke probation, within the time specified
in the notice, may file objections with the Presiding Official.
(2) Objections to order without notice. Any person adversely
affected by an order revoking probation, without notice may request that
the order be set aside by filing his objections thereto with the Presiding
Official. The request will not stay the effective date of the order or
revocation.
(3) Requirements for filing objections. Objections filed
with the Presiding Official must be submitted in writing and in duplicate.
A copy must be simultaneously submitted to the Office of Munitions Control.
Denials and admissions, as well as any mitigating circumstances, which the
person affected intends to present must be set forth in or accompany the
letter of objection and must be supported by evidence. A request for an oral
hearing may be made at the time of filing objections.
(4) Determination. The application and objections thereto
will be referred to the Presiding Official. An oral hearing, if requested,
will be conducted at an early convenient date, unless the objections filed
raise no issues of material fact to be determined. The Presiding Official
will report the facts and make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary
for Politico-Military Affairs, who will determine whether the application
should be granted or denied and will issue an appropriate order. A copy of
the order and of the Presiding Official's report will be furnished to any
person affected thereby.
(c) Effect of revocation on other actions. The revocation
of a probationary period will not preclude any other action concerning a
further violation, even where revocation is based on the further violation.
The Presiding Official, for good cause shown, may extend
the time within which to prepare and submit an answer to a charging letter
or to perform any other act required by this part 128.
All charging letters, debarment orders, orders imposing
civil penalties, probationary periods, and interim suspension orders are
available for public inspection in the Public Reading Room of the Department
of State.
§ 128.5 -- Answer and Demand
for oral hearing.
§ 128.6 -- Discovery.
§ 128.7 -- Prehearing conference.
§ 128.8 -- Hearings.
§ 128.9 -- Proceedings before
and report of Presiding Official.
§ 128.10 -- Disposition of
proceedings.
§ 128.11 -- Consent agreements.
§ 128.12 -- Rehearings.
§ 128.13 -- Appeals.
§ 128.14 -- Confidentiality
of proceedings.
§ 128.15 -- Orders containing
probationary periods.
§ 128.16 -- Extension of time.
§ 128.17 -- Availability of
orders.