NCTO Targets Customs Reauthorization Bill for Textile Enforcement Provisions
The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) is eyeing a 2014 Customs Reauthorization bill as the vehicle for the Textile Enforcement and Security Act (TESA), said NCTO President Auggie Tantillo in a Nov. 21 interview. A group of 24 House lawmakers introduced TESA on Nov. 20, following the introduction of sister Senate legislation by Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., in July (see 13112125). The legislation would provide CBP more resources to clamp down on fraudulent textile importation into the U.S., according to the legislation sponsors.
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“Customs Reauthorization is relevant because TESA is clearly germane to that. That would be the most natural fit. If it's apparent Congress can move a Customs Reauth bill it wouldn’t be extraordinary to press for inclusion of TESA in that legislation,” said Tantillo. “If there is a Customs Reauthorization bill, TESA goes as part of that. It would bring enthusiastic support from members of Congress who have significant textile and apparel production with long standing support and concerns that goods are entering the U.S. fraudulently. If we can get the TESA bill moving, we believe that will bring broader support to the Customs Reauthorization process.”
The Senate Finance Committee leadership introduced its version of Customs Reauthorization, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Reauthorization Act of 2013, S-662 (here), in March. Ways and Means Committee Republican and Democratic leaders introduced in December 2012 two House Customs Reauthorization bills, H.R. 6642 and H.R. 6656 respectively. Both died in committee. Different antidumping/countervailing duty language emerged as a contentious issue between the two pieces of legislation (see 13071817). The recent legislative history of Customs Reauthorization renders TESA passage uncertain, said Tantillo.
“It’s become all too commonplace that Congress fails to pass legislation and, with regards to the reauthorization of Customs, they’ve even failed to do that,” said Tantillo. “The problem is: will Congress do Customs Reauthorization?” Senate Finance and House Ways and Means leaders have recently pressed for quick passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) (see 13111516). An omnibus package, with TPA as the flagship item may also provide an opportunity to pass TESA (see 13081212).
“Our sponsors are fully aware of the frustration in passing Customs Reauthorization and the bigger frustration of Customs and resources,” said Tantillo. “Our members are talking to the committees to see which eligible vehicles there are available and how quickly the legislation can potentially be moved.” The primary issue at stake in the TESA legislation is CBP commitment to enforce fraud monitoring and the principles of U.S. free-trade agreements (FTAs), said Tantillo. The TESA legislation was introduced as the Obama Administration is pursuing arguably the most ambitious trade agenda in modern history. The administration is eyeing both the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership FTAs. Insufficient CBP resources are paving way for the loss of billions of dollars annually due to textile fraud imports, said Tantillo.
“It's one thing to negotiate agreements, agreements that are highly complex, and another thing to enforce those agreements. We believe it’s a necessity, not a luxury, for our government to enforce the commitments and obligations inherent in our trade agreements,” said Tantillo. "The amount of resources encased at CBP has not kept up.” -- Brian Dabbs