Sen. Portman Introduces Bill to Require Advance Customs Data on Postal Packages
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, introduced legislation that would require shipments from foreign countries through the U.S. postal system to provide advance electronic data to CBP about the packages before they cross into the U.S., akin to requirements for express carriers like FedEx and UPS, Portman said in a statement (here). The bill would make the U.S. Postmaster-General the importer of record for non-letter class international mail, and would require the merchandise's owner, purchaser, valid licensee, Postmaster-General, or postmaster's designee to provide the required information by time of entry. Furthermore, the Treasury secretary within six months of enactment would be required to issue regulations requiring the Postmaster-General or his/her designee to file informal customs entries for all non-letter class mail that meets informal entry requirements. Each item of dutiable mail requiring documentation by a customs officer will incur a $5 customs fee, and the arrival of each item of non-letter class mail will incur a $1 fee, the bill says.
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Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., co-sponsored the bill. “In addition to focusing resources on prevention, treatment, and recovery, a fundamental part of our comprehensive response to the opioid epidemic must include efforts to cut off the supply of dangerous drugs -- like fentanyl and carfentanil -- coming to our country, often from China,” Ayotte said in a statement. “Our bill will strengthen postal rules for packages shipped through the United States Postal Service, bringing them in line with requirements applicable to private shippers." Portman announced plans to introduce the bill last week, before the Senate returned from recess (see 1608310047).