Large Coalition Presses OMB to Focus CBP More on Facilitating Trade
There must be "adequate funding to ensure appropriate [CBP] staffing at U.S. ports of entry," a large group of transport and trade officials said in a Jan. 10 letter to Jeffrey Zients, acting director, Office of Management and Budget. It said CBP's role of protecting the country and facilitating legitimate trade and travel "is critical to the physical and economic security of the U.S.," but "staffing at U.S. ports of entry has failed to keep up with the increased demand of trade and travel."
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The result is increased wait times and billions of dollars of cost to industry, it said. "Over the past five years, a disproportionate amount of funding has been designated for increasing "staffing of border patrol officers between the ports of entry, at the expense of staffing for customs officers who facilitate trade and travel at the ports of entry," the letter said.
It also said CBP should "aggressively" implement its Trade Transformation Agenda, and evaluate additional methods for increasing efficiency at the ports.
Among the signers was Airforwarders Association Airlines for America, Airports Council International-North America, the American Trucking Associations, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance, Express Association of America, Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition, International Air Transport Association, International Warehouse Logistics Association, Lufthansa, National Grain and Feed Association, National Retail Federation, Northern Border Customs Brokers Association, Retail Industry Leaders Association, The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.