House Trade Subcommittee Announces Hearing on CBP and ICE Budget Authorizations, C-TPAT, ACE, Etc
The House Ways and Means Committee's Trade Subcommittee has issued an advisory stating that it will hold a hearing on June 17, 2004 on budget authorizations for fiscal year (FY) 2005 and FY 2006 for the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS') Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and on other Customs issues.
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FY 2005 and 2006 Budget Authorizations for CBP and ICE
On May 20, 2004, H.R. 4418, the "Customs and Border Security Act of 2004," was introduced, which would authorize appropriations for FY 2005 and FY 2006 for CBP and ICE.
Other Customs Issues to be Addressed at Hearing
According to the advisory, the hearing will also address the following issues:
Reorganization of CBP and ICE in DHS. The Subcommittee will address issues involving whether the new CBP and ICE agencies are functioning effectively, whether trade functions are being given sufficient priority now that CBP and ICE are integrated into DHS whose primary mission is security, and whether adequate resources are devoted to customs functions.
Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). The Subcommittee will also address the effectiveness of C-TPAT in enhancing security and facilitating trade, whether performance measures exist to determine the effectiveness of the program, and whether companies are receiving the anticipated trade benefits of the program.
(In July 2003, the General Accounting Office (GAO) reported that although C-TPAT expected to hire more than 150 additional staff, CBP has not devised human capital plans to meet long-term staffing needs, and while CBP has established performance measures based on the quantity of operational efforts, it has not developed any measures of program achievement. See ITT's Online Archives or 08/05/03 news, 03080505, for BP summary of the GAO's report.)
Customs modernization. The Subcommittee will consider issues relating to customs modernization, including:
whether the Automated Commercial Environment's (ACE's) design and architecture will meet future requirements, including the requirements of other agencies participating in the International Trade Data System (ITDS) program;
whether the current participation by federal agencies in the ITDS program is adequate and whether additional resources are required to facilitate participation;
the timing of the expansion of ACE; and
the role of the trade industry in building ACE.
Testimony from Invited and Public Witnesses; Written Statements Due by June 24
According to the advisory, oral testimony at this hearing will be heard from both invited and public witnesses, and witnesses are expected to include representatives from CBP and ICE. Requests to be heard at the hearing must be made no later than the close of business on June 9, 2004.
Written statements may be submitted in lieu of a personal appearance at the hearing by the close of business on June 24, 2004. Any person(s) and/or organization(s) wishing to submit such statements for the hearing record must follow the appropriate link on the hearing Web page (see below) and complete the informational forms.
Advisory (TR-5, dated 06/07/04) available at http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=view&id=1620
H.R. 4418 available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:h4418ih.txt.pdf
Hearing Web page available at http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=detail&hearing=152