News

Senate Passes Customs Reauthorization Conference Report -- Next Step White House

02/11/2016

On an overwhelming vote of 75 to 20 on February 11, senators approved the customs conference report that has been moving through Congress.  The original bill was passed by both chambers before being merged into the conference report.  With IME support, the House passed the customs reauthorization conference report in December, leaving only the step of being voted on by the Senate before it could head to the President’s desk for his approval.  With Senate approval secured, the President is expected to sign it.      
  
In a victory for the commercial explosives industry, the measure included an IME backed provision allowing de minimis residues of US goods in instruments of international traffic (IIT) to be returned to the United States without being classified, manifested and duty paid.  This provision overturns the Customs & Border Protection’s (CBP) attempt to reverse its longstanding policy allowing IITs returning to the United States with trace amounts of residue to be considered empty and not regulated for Custom’s purposes.  For more information please contact IME Government Affairs.