19 USC 1625 note. Deadline. Deadline. (2) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT.—The cost accounting system described in paragraph (1) shall provide for an identification of expenses based on the type of operation, the port at which the operation took place, the amount of time spent on the operation by personnel of the Customs Service, and an identification of expenses based on any other appropriate classification necessary to provide for an accurate and complete accounting of the expenses. (b) REPORTS.-Beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on the date on which the cost accounting system described in subsection (a) is fully implemented, the Commissioner of Customs shall prepare and submit to Congress on a quarterly basis a report on the progress of implementing the cost accounting system pursuant to subsection (a). SEC. 335. STUDY AND REPORT RELATING TO TIMELINESS OF PROSPEC- (a) STUDY.-The Comptroller General shall conduct a study on the extent to which the Office of Regulations and Rulings of the Customs Service has made improvements to decrease the amount of time to issue prospective rulings from the date on which a request for the ruling is received by the Customs Service. (b) REPORT.-Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a report containing the results of the study conducted under subsection (a). (c) DEFINITION.-In this section, the term "prospective ruling" means a ruling that is requested by an importer on goods that are proposed to be imported into the United States and that relates to the proper classification, valuation, or marking of such goods. SEC. 336. STUDY AND REPORT RELATING TO CUSTOMS USER FEES. (a) STUDY.-The Comptroller General shall conduct a study on the extent to which the amount of each customs user fee imposed under section 13031(a) of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (19 U.S.C. 58c(a)) is commensurate with the level of services provided by the Customs Service relating to the fee so imposed. (b) REPORT.-Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a report in classified form containing— (1) the results of the study conducted under subsection (a); and (2) recommendations for the appropriate amount of the customs user fees if such results indicate that the fees are not commensurate with the level of services provided by the Customs Service. SEC. 337. FEES FOR CUSTOMS INSPECTIONS AT EXPRESS COURIER (a) IN GENERAL.-Section 13031(b)(9) of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (19 U.S.C. 58c(b)(9)) is amended as follows: (1) In subparagraph (A) (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking "the processing of merchandise that is informally entered or released" and inserting "the processing of letters, documents, records, shipments, merchandise, or any other item that is valued at an amount that is less than $2,000 (or such higher amount as the Secretary of the Treasury may set by regulation pursuant to section 498 of the Tariff Act of 1930), except such items entered for transportation and exportation or immediate exportation"; and (B) by striking clause (ii), and inserting the following: "(ii) Subject to the provisions of subparagraph (B), in the case of an express consignment carrier facility or centralized hub facility, $.66 per individual airway bill or bill of lading.". (2) By redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C) and inserting after subparagraph (A) the following: "(B)(i) Beginning in fiscal year 2004, the Secretary of the Treasury may adjust (not more than once per fiscal year) the amount described in subparagraph (A)(ii) to an amount that is not less than $.35 and not more than $1.00 per individual airway bill or bill of lading. The Secretary shall provide notice in the Federal Register of a proposed adjustment under the preceding sentence and the reasons therefor and shall allow for public comment on the proposed adjustment. "(ii) Notwithstanding section 451 of the Tariff Act of 1930, the payment required by subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be the only payment required for reimbursement of the Customs Service in connection with the processing of an individual airway bill or bill of lading in accordance with such subparagraph and for providing services at express consignment carrier facilities or centralized hub facilities, except that the Customs Service may require such facilities to cover expenses of the Customs Service for adequate office space, equipment, furnishings, supplies, and security. "(iii)(I) The payment required by subparagraph (A)(ii) and clause (ii) of this subparagraph shall be paid on a quarterly basis by the carrier using the facility to the Customs Service in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. "(II) 50 percent of the amount of payments received under subparagraph (A)(ii) and clause (ii) of this subparagraph shall, in accordance with section 524 of the Tariff Act of 1930, be deposited in the Customs User Fee Account and shall be used to directly reimburse each appropriation for the amount paid out of that appropriation for the costs incurred in providing services to express consignment carrier facilities or centralized hub facilities. Amounts deposited in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be available until expended for the provision of customs services to express consignment carrier facilities or centralized hub facilities. "(III) Notwithstanding section 524 of the Tariff Act of 1930, the remaining 50 percent of the amount of payments received under subparagraph (A)(ii) and clause (ii) of this subparagraph shall be paid to the Secretary of 19 USC 58c note. 19 USC 482 note. Deadline. the Treasury, which is in lieu of the payment of fees under subsection (a)(10) of this section.". (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.-The amendments made by subsection (a) take effect on October 1, 2002. SEC. 338. NATIONAL CUSTOMS AUTOMATION PROGRAM. Section 411(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1411(b)) is amended by striking the second sentence and inserting the following: "The Secretary may, by regulation, require the electronic submission of information described in subsection (a) or any other information required to be submitted to the Customs Service separately pursuant to this subpart.". SEC. 339. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR CUSTOMS There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Treasury such sums as may be necessary to provide an increase in the annual rate of basic pay— (1) for all journeyman Customs inspectors and Canine Enforcement Officers who have completed at least one year's service and are receiving an annual rate of basic pay for positions at GS-9 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, from the annual rate of basic pay payable for positions at GS-9 of the General Schedule under such section 5332, to an annual rate of basic pay payable for positions at GS-11 of the General Schedule under such section 5332; and (2) for the support staff associated with the personnel described in subparagraph (A), at the appropriate GS level of the General Schedule under such section 5332. CHAPTER 4-ANTITERRORISM PROVISIONS SEC. 341. IMMUNITY FOR UNITED STATES OFFICIALS THAT ACT IN (a) IMMUNITY.-Section 3061 of the Revised Statutes (19 U.S.C. 482) is amended (1) by striking "Any of the officers" and inserting "(a) Any of the officers"; and (2) by adding at the end the following: "(b) Any officer or employee of the United States conducting a search of a person pursuant to subsection (a) shall not be held liable for any civil damages as a result of such search if the officer or employee performed the search in good faith and used reasonable means while effectuating such search.". (b) REQUIREMENT TO POST POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR SEARCHES OF PASSENGERS.-Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of Customs shall ensure that at each Customs border facility appropriate notice is posted that provides a summary of the policy and procedures of the Customs Service for searching passengers, including a statement of the policy relating to the prohibition on the conduct of profiling of passengers based on gender, race, color, religion, or ethnic background. SEC. 342. EMERGENCY ADJUSTMENTS TO OFFICES, PORTS OF ENTRY, Section 318 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1318) is amended (1) by striking "Whenever the President" and inserting "(a) Whenever the President"; and (2) by adding at the end the following: "(b)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Treasury, when necessary to respond to a national emergency declared under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) or to a specific threat to human life or national interests, is authorized to take the following actions on a temporary basis: "(A) Eliminate, consolidate, or relocate any office or port of entry of the Customs Service. "(B) Modify hours of service, alter services rendered at any location, or reduce the number of employees at any location. "(C) Take any other action that may be necessary to respond directly to the national emergency or specific threat. "(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commissioner of Customs, when necessary to respond to a specific threat to human life or national interests, is authorized to close temporarily any Customs office or port of entry or take any other lesser action that may be necessary to respond to the specific threat. Notification. "(3) The Secretary of the Treasury or the Commissioner of Customs, as the case may be, shall notify the Committee on Ways Deadline. and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate not later than 72 hours after taking any action under paragraph (1) or (2).". SEC. 343. MANDATORY ADVANCED ELECTRONIC INFORMATION FOR (a) CARGO INFORMATION.— (1) IN GENERAL.-Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations providing for the transmission to the Customs Service, through an electronic data interchange system, of information pertaining to cargo destined for importation into the United States or exportation from the United States, prior to such importation or exportation. (2) INFORMATION REQUIRED.-The information required by the regulations promulgated pursuant to paragraph (1) under the parameters set forth in paragraph (3) shall be such information as the Secretary determines to be reasonably necessary to ensure aviation, maritime, and surface transportation safety and security pursuant to those laws enforced and administered by the Customs Service. (3) PARAMETERS.-In developing regulations pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary shall adhere to the following parameters: (A) The Secretary shall solicit comments from and consult with a broad range of parties likely to be affected by the regulations, including importers, exporters, carriers, customs brokers, and freight forwarders, among other interested parties. 19 USC 2071 note. (B) In general, the requirement to provide particular information shall be imposed on the party most likely to have direct knowledge of that information. Where requiring information from the party with direct knowledge of that information is not practicable, the regulations shall take into account how, under ordinary commercial practices, information is acquired by the party on which the requirement is imposed, and whether and how such party is able to verify the information. Where information is not reasonably verifiable by the party on which a requirement is imposed, the regulations shall permit that party to transmit information on the basis of what it reasonably believes to be true. (C) The Secretary shall take into account the existence of competitive relationships among the parties on which requirements to provide particular to provide particular information information are imposed. (D) Where the regulations impose requirements on carriers of cargo, they shall take into account differences among different modes of transportation, including differences in commercial practices, operational characteristics, and technological capacity to collect and transmit information electronically. (E) The regulations shall take into account the extent to which the technology necessary for parties to transmit and the Customs Service to receive and analyze data in a timely fashion is available. To the extent that the Secretary determines that the necessary technology will not be widely available to particular modes of transportation or other affected parties until after promulgation of the regulations, the regulations shall provide interim requirements appropriate for the technology that is available at the time of promulgation. (F) The information collected pursuant to the regulations shall be used exclusively for ensuring aviation, maritime, and surface transportation safety and security, and shall not be used for determining entry or for any other commercial enforcement purposes. (G) The regulations shall protect the privacy of business proprietary and any other confidential information provided to the Customs Service. However, this parameter does not repeal, amend, or otherwise modify other provisions of law relating to the public disclosure of information transmitted to the Customs Service. (H) In determining the timing for transmittal of any information, the Secretary shall balance likely impact on flow of commerce with impact on aviation, maritime, and surface transportation safety and security. With respect to requirements that may be imposed on carriers of cargo, the timing for transmittal of information shall take into account differences among different modes of transportation, as described in subparagraph (D). (I) Where practicable, the regulations shall avoid imposing requirements that are redundant with one another or that are redundant with requirements in other provisions of law. |