AAPA Works on New Bill to Unlock Funding for Inspections Facilities at Ports

Legislation developed by AAPA to address overreach from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at port facilities was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in November. Congresswomen Laurel Lee (R-FL) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) are the lead sponsors of the CBP SPACE Act. The legislation provides CBP and its facilities with the resources it needs by setting up a sustainable funding mechanism via existing user fees it already collects. Further, it better defines the relationship between ports and CBP in the customs and inspections process.

This issue has been an area of uncertainty at America’s seaports for several years. AAPA raised this issue publicly before a Congressional hearing of the U.S. House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations in January 2022.