The Senate on Aug. 10 passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 by a vote of 69-30. It is a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package with $550 billion in new spending over the next 5 years. The bill received support from 19 Senate Republicans. Here is what is included in the package:

As with many large trade associations, the NCBFAA maintains outside counsel positions for guidance and to provide the membership with the highest quality of service available. To that end, we currently contract with two legal counsels, covering general association operations and customs and transportation matters, as well as legislative representative.

On behalf of NCBFAA's Board of Directors, Leadership and Staff, we want to take a moment to acknowledge and welcome the following member who has recently joined our association:

Customs and Border Protection's Office of Trade Commercial Operations Revenue and Entry Division (CORE) will disable the 5106 mailbox, effective Sept. 4. All future Form 5106 requests must be sent to one of the noted locations. CBP asked the trade not to send requests to multiple locations since this will "cause duplication of work and delayed processing."

Sens. Tina Smith (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced legislation to strengthen import requirements for the importation of live dogs. The Healthy Dog Importation Act addresses current gaps in oversight which have raised concerns among animal health groups, agricultural associations and public health organizations.

We reported on this in the Aug. 2 Monday Morning eBriefing, but it bears repeating that on Sept. 4, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will implement a hard reject of food entries that have an invalid syntax for the FSV email transmitted in PG21. There will be no period of warnings.

On behalf of NCBFAA's Board of Directors, Leadership and Staff, we want to take a moment to acknowledge and welcome the following member who has recently joined our association:

The U.S. government recently issued an advisory warning of compliance risks associated with doing business in Hong Kong and asked businesses to increase their due diligence.

As with many large trade associations, the NCBFAA maintains outside counsel positions for guidance and to provide the membership with the highest quality of service available. To that end, we currently contract with two legal counsels, covering general association operations and customs and transportation matters, as well as legislative representative.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine announced that its new APHIS eFile can now be used to obtain permits for cut flowers, greenery, and sugarcane products.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, Oct. 10, announced modifications to its Section 301 tariffs on foreign ships calling U.S. ports, effective Oct. 14, as well as the addition of tariffs for container-handling equipment imports.

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 10, said that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on China products, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” by Nov. 1 or sooner, citing an “extraordinary aggressive position” taken by China against the U.S. with new tariffs and increased export controls on rare earth metals.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., are closing monitoring the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative products imported into the U.S., starting for entries made on or after Oct. 14, and proposed Section 232 tariffs for heavy-duty truck imports by Nov. 1. The Committee will provide related Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance to our customs broker members as soon as it’s received.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up outreach to the trade to increase awareness of DEA import and export requirements. DEA officials recently visited several local customs broker associations to spread the word about importer and exporter requirements under the Controlled Substances Act with particular emphasis on chemicals that can be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during an Oct. 1 call with the trade that no refunds of any type, including drawback, ACH, etc., are part of the excepted functions currently allowed by the agency during the government shutdown since they’re tied to appropriations.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, Oct. 10, announced modifications to its Section 301 tariffs on foreign ships calling U.S. ports, effective Oct. 14, as well as the addition of tariffs for container-handling equipment imports.

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 10, said that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on China products, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” by Nov. 1 or sooner, citing an “extraordinary aggressive position” taken by China against the U.S. with new tariffs and increased export controls on rare earth metals.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., are closing monitoring the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative products imported into the U.S., starting for entries made on or after Oct. 14, and proposed Section 232 tariffs for heavy-duty truck imports by Nov. 1. The Committee will provide related Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance to our customs broker members as soon as it’s received.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up outreach to the trade to increase awareness of DEA import and export requirements. DEA officials recently visited several local customs broker associations to spread the word about importer and exporter requirements under the Controlled Substances Act with particular emphasis on chemicals that can be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during an Oct. 1 call with the trade that no refunds of any type, including drawback, ACH, etc., are part of the excepted functions currently allowed by the agency during the government shutdown since they’re tied to appropriations.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, Oct. 10, announced modifications to its Section 301 tariffs on foreign ships calling U.S. ports, effective Oct. 14, as well as the addition of tariffs for container-handling equipment imports.

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 10, said that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on China products, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” by Nov. 1 or sooner, citing an “extraordinary aggressive position” taken by China against the U.S. with new tariffs and increased export controls on rare earth metals.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., are closing monitoring the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative products imported into the U.S., starting for entries made on or after Oct. 14, and proposed Section 232 tariffs for heavy-duty truck imports by Nov. 1. The Committee will provide related Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance to our customs broker members as soon as it’s received.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up outreach to the trade to increase awareness of DEA import and export requirements. DEA officials recently visited several local customs broker associations to spread the word about importer and exporter requirements under the Controlled Substances Act with particular emphasis on chemicals that can be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during an Oct. 1 call with the trade that no refunds of any type, including drawback, ACH, etc., are part of the excepted functions currently allowed by the agency during the government shutdown since they’re tied to appropriations.