(a) If it is deemed appropriate by the Department, public hearings may be held to elicit further information.

(1) A notice of hearing shall be published in the Federal Register describing the date, time, place, the subject matter of each hearing and any other information relevant to the conduct of the hearing. The name of a person to contact for additional information or to request time to speak at the hearing shall also be included. Public hearings may be held in more than one location.

(2) Hearings shall be open to the public unless national security classified information will be presented. In that event the presiding officer at the hearing shall close the hearing, as necessary, to all persons not having appropriate security clearances or not otherwise authorized to have access to such information. If it is known in sufficient time prior to the hearing that national security classified information will be presented the notice of hearing published in the Federal Register shall state that national security classified information will be presented and that the hearing will be open only to those persons having appropriate security clearances or otherwise specifically authorized to have access to such information.

(b) Hearings shall be conducted as follows:

(1) The Department shall appoint the presiding officer;

(2) The presiding officer shall determine all procedural matters during the hearing;

(3) Interested parties may appear, either in person or by representation, and produce oral or written information relevant and material to the subject matter of the investigation;

(4) Hearings will be fact-finding proceedings without formal pleadings or adverse parties. Formal rules of evidence will not apply;

(5) After a witness has testified, the presiding officer may question the witness. Questions submitted to the presiding officer in writing by any interested party may, at the discretion of the presiding officer, be posed to the witness. No cross examination of any witness by a party shall be allowed.

(6) Each hearing will be stenographically reported. Transcripts of the hearing, excluding any national security classified information, may be purchased from the Department at actual cost of duplication, and will be available for public inspection in the Bureau of Industry and Security Freedom of Information Records Inspection Facility, Room H-4525, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.

[47 FR 14693, Apr. 6, 1982. Redesignated at 54 FR 601, Jan. 9, 1989 and amended at 54 FR 19355, May 5, 1989; 63 FR 31623, June 10, 1998]