Bill to Consolidate Six CBP Trade Positions Requested by CBP

If a bill that unanimously passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee becomes law, CBP's Office of Trade would get rid of these job descriptions -- Import Specialist, Entry Specialist, National Account Manager, International Trade Specialist, Drawback Specialist and National Import Specialist -- and combine those duties all under the job of Global Trade Specialist. CBP has been asking for the change for about five years, according to a former government official now working in trade.

"CBP started the analysis of the trade positions some time ago, and recognized that because of the Homeland Security act of 2003, which required maintenance of numbers in certain occupations, that any changes would require a change to statute," the source said. It's not that CBP thought it had too many drawback specialists and not enough national entry specialists, but rather that it wanted to offer a career path for trade professionals that would help with recruitment, retention and training.

Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Calif., co-sponsor of the bill, said after the 40-0 vote on Nov. 3, “As geopolitical relationships change more rapidly and drastically in the modern world, it’s critical that our laws empower CBP to operate as nimbly and efficiently as possible. This legislation will empower the CBP to address the dynamic and urgent nature of U.S. trade policy enforcement and help maintain American dominance in the global economy."

Co-sponsor Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., said, “With so much disruption to global supply chains over the last few years, this legislation would ensure agencies have resources and staffing to fulfill their essential mission and continue to strengthen our economy.”

The source, who asked to remain anonymous since their employer did not want to be in print, said they were optimistic the bill could become law because it is non-controversial.

Although certain titles would go away under the bill, it doesn't mean CBP would stop having workers who specialize in drawback, for instance. CBP believed there was "technical expertise that was still needed, but wanted perhaps to ground that technical expertise in a more robust shared foundation."

Ways and Means does not have the authority to add funding to the Office of Trade -- that would come from appropriations, but the former government official said that a funding increase is needed, as well. "There has not been a significant increase in trade personnel -- other than the forced labor investment -- since 2003. You can only stretch that string so far."