CBP Budget Request Includes Cuts to Import Safety Initiative, C-TPAT

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requested about $13.1 billion for CBP in the fiscal year (FY) 2015 budget, slightly up from $12.9 billion requested last year. The budget request includes a cut of $6 million in recurring funding related to the 2010 Import Safety Initiative, it said. "The reduction of this recurring funding would not allow CBP to hire an additional 52 personnel to support the 2010 Import Safety Mandate," said DHS. "The re-scoping of CBP’s Import Safety funding will reduce the support to the Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC). An offset to the Import Safety Initiative will prevent the hiring of the six primary series that support the CTAC: International Trade Specialists (analysts), CBPOs (perform exams at port level), Import Specialists (merchandise classification), Paralegals (process enforcement cases), and Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures Officers (process enforcement actions). CBP will absorb these cuts as part of ongoing Trade Transformation initiatives.