House Bill Would Require CBP Personnel Education on Import Classification and Appraisals
Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) introduced legislation, HR-6110, on July 12 aimed at improving CBP's classification abilities though educational seminars. The bill would establish the seminars at U.S. ports of entry to improve the ability of CBP personnel to classify and appraise articles that are imported into the U.S. The legislation would also help CBP personnel to identify and prevent the mislabeling and transshipment of articles, it said. CBP didn't comment.
The bill, the Customs and Training Enhancement Act, would next need consideration by the House Ways and Means Committee. Lipinski didn't return a request for comment on whether the bill was in response to particular concerns or complaints from industry. The legislation is among several bills supported by House Democrats as part of the 'Make it in America' plan, meant to help manufacturing jobs in the U.S.
(See ITT's Online Archives 2071003 for summary of a renewed push on the 'Make it in America' plan.)
Under the legislation, CBP would be required to provide instruction and instructional materials at each educational seminar to CBP personnel and, as appropriate, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel. The bill calls for a minimum of 15 seminars, unless the CBP commissioner determines less are needed and notifies Congress, it said. Each seminar and subject matter would require CBP commissioner sign-off.
The general focus of the seminars would include:
- Conducting a physical inspection of an article imported into the United States, including testing of samples of the article, to determine if the article is mislabeled in the manifest or other accompanying documentation.
- Reviewing the manifest and other accompanying documentation of an article imported into the United States to determine if the country of origin of the article listed in the manifest or other accompanying documentation is accurate.
- Other related matters as determined to be appropriate by the Commissioner.
CBP would be required to work with the U.S. International Trade Commission, to find other parties to help with the seminars. The selection process would be based on availability and usefulness, the volume, value, and incidence of mislabeling of an imported article that relates to a comparable domestic product of the interested party and any other criteria the CBP commissioner deems important.