Lawmakers Introduce Legislation for Higher De Minimis Level
Two Senate Finance Committee members and a House Republican have proposed a $600 raise in the de minimis level, for the maximum value of articles that can be imported informally and duty-free by one person in one day. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a bill (S- 489) on March 7 to increase the de minimis from $200 to $800. In the House, Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., introduced the same bill (HR-1020) on March 6. Schock is a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.
The de minimis level has remained stagnant at $200 for 20 years, said Mike Mullen, executive director of the Express Association of America (EAA), in a press release on the bill. “A higher de minimis level will stimulate trade, spur the growth of business across a range of industries, and create jobs,” he said in the release. "These time savings are particularly important currently because sequestration is reducing working hours for front line customs officers," said the EAA. "The higher level would also benefit lower-capacity small businesses by reducing the burden associated with importing low-value supplies and international retail returns." U.S. Council for International Business CEO Peter Robinson also praised the bill. “Reducing the cost of inputs from overseas can do a lot to boost a smaller company’s competitiveness,” he said in a press release.
The bill also asks the U.S. Trade Representative to encourage other countries, “through bilateral, regional, and multilateral fora, to establish commercially meaningful de minimis values.” Raising the de minimis level to $800 is not a new topic in Congress -- the two house CBP reauthorization bills introduced last term proposed the same increase. Schock also introduced similar legislation last session. Find that bill, HR-1653, here.
(Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of S-489 or the EAA and USCIB press releases.)