Brokers Take to Capitol Hill to Push for Customs Conference Provisions
Members of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) were meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill Sept. 29 to request that several specific provisions make it into a final customs reauthorization bill. The meetings were part of the NCBFAA's Government Affairs Conference. The NCBFAA hopes to see House-proposed antidumping and countervailing duty enforcement language and streamlined drawback provisions in the final bill, according to a paper distributed by the NCBFAA to its members going to the Hill. Congress is still in the process of putting together a Customs Reauthorization conference to resolve differences between customs reauthorization legislation passed by each chamber (see 1507070066).
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The House approach to AD/CV enforcement, "known as the PROTECT Act, provides a more effective mechanism to deter companies intentionally seeking to evade these trade laws," said the NCBFAA. "It builds on the Commerce Department's expertise, expanding its authority to investigate such illegal actions." The Senate's language in the ENFORCE Act instead "establishes new administrative procedures at CBP, blurring the jurisdictional lines between Commerce and CBP in a way that would invite forum shopping," the group said. "More troubling, it would expand the definition of 'evasion' to include situation where no intentional wrongdoing is present." Despite the NCBFAA's preference for the PROTECT Act language, much of the ENFORCE Act is expected to end up in the final bill (see 1509110020).
The NCBFAA also again raised concerns for possible provisions requiring customs brokers to collect and verify information from importer clients. "The law should hold importers primarily responsible for documenting their own identity, with the customs broker responsible for collecting specified information," said the NCBFAA. The trade group brought up similar worries in a letter to Congress in June (see 1506220022). The NCBFAA said it supports simplified drawback process language and urged "conferees to address the few remaining technical issues before the bill is finalized." Several major changes to drawback are expected in the final bill (see 1506020019).
The trade group also called on Congress to get involved in port congestion issues. Specifically, Congress should move forward the Port Transparency Act, which would set port performance reporting requirements (see 1506230029), said the NCBFAA. Congress should also "press" the Federal Maritime Commission to "take prompt action" on demurrage fees following the agency's recent report on the subject (see 1505060014).
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the NCBFAA's list of legislative interests.