Gluesenkamp Perez introduces bipartisan bill to support port inspection services

CENTRALIA, Wash. – U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, and Rep. Laurel Lee, D-Florida, last week introduced the bipartisan CBP SPACE Act to ensure Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection services stay operational without resulting in additional expenses to ports of entry and small businesses, a news release from the office of Gluesenkamp Perez stated.

CBP provides security and facilitation operations at ports of entry throughout the country. There are no restrictions on what requests CBP may ask ports to provide in order to complete inspection services, according to the release. Ports have encountered situations where CBP makes significant demands for facility upgrades, coupled with the threat of reducing inspection windows.

The CBP SPACE Act would create a funding mechanism for CBP facilities at ports and limit the demands CBP could make.

Specifically, the bill would:

•Expand permissible offsets when setting merchandise processing fees rates to include capital costs associated with CBP passenger inspection services.

•Establish a sense of Congress that the Treasury and CBP should work to set an appropriate level for rates so CBP is able to adequately fund facility upgrades, construction and maintenance at ports.

•Prohibits CBP from requiring ports to provide or maintain administrative, training or recreational facilities at the port of entry.

“Customs and Border Protection inspection services at Southwest Washington ports are a first line of defense to stopping fentanyl from entering our communities,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “Our bipartisan bill will help properly fund these crucial services without our local ports of entry carrying the expense.”

Read the full text of the bill at shorturl.at/kZ6Wj.

The lawmakers previously introduced the legislation in the 118th Congress, but it did not pass.