HR-3719 : Still Just a Bill

CTPAT Reauthorization Act of 2019

This bill revises and permanently reauthorizes the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT), a voluntary, public-private partnership program for expediting the movement of secure cargo through the international supply chain.

Specifically, the bill allows an eligible entity (e.g., importer, exporter, customs broker, or carrier) that meets certain security measures and supply chain practices to apply to participate in the CTPAT program at a defined tier, pursuant to which it will receive tier-specific benefits such as fewer inspections at ports of entry, priority examination of cargo, and other accelerated trade mechanisms. The bill authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend or remove a participant that fails to meet minimum security criteria, provides false or misleading information, or poses a threat to national security.

Additionally, the bill revises the process for an eligible entity's recertification and revalidation, and it allows CBP to recognize a revalidation conducted by a foreign government under a Mutual Recognition Agreement.