[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 95 (Monday, July 15, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ON THE RETIREMENT OF JOHN DURANT OF CUSTOMS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PHILIP M. CRANE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 15, 2002

  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor today to acknowledge the 
retirement of John Durant, Director of Commercial Rulings for the U.S. 
Customs Service. Mr. Durant retires after 33 years of federal service, 
with almost 31 years of that time with Customs. John Durant served in 
Customs field offices in Boston and Houston, before coming to 
Headquarters office in Washington DC. John is well known to all members 
of the international trade community and the trade bar as a preeminent 
expert on Customs matters and has been instrumental in the effort to 
modernize Customs' procedures for the benefit of trade and our economy.
  Thirty years has seen remarkable changes in how trade has taken on an 
ever more important role in our country's economic success. Just in the 
last decade, trade has grown 132 percent, and by 2004, Customs will be 
processing more than 30 million commercial entries a year. This is up 
from 12.3 million in 1994 more than double the level of 10 years 
earlier. John has had the unenviable but critical role in overseeing 
more than 12,000 commercial rulings that Customs issues each year on 
such arcane topics as tariff classification, country of origin and 
marking. He was also the liaison with the trade community for Customs 
during discussions leading up to the passage and implementation of the 
Customs Modernization Act of 1993.
  For the Congress, however, Mr. Durant will always be known as Customs 
point man, and sometimes lightening rod, on trade legislation. For the 
past 14 years, Mr. Durant has been invaluable to the Congress in 
providing timely and useful technical comments on draft legislation. 
Much of trade legislation is not exciting or entertaining. It requires 
people who are professional, dedicated, and very attentive to detail. 
Mr. Durant is the leader of such men and women at Customs and he does 
so with a sense of humor. He has been the ``man to see'' at Customs for 
answers on trade matters. His retirement will be sorely felt by 
Customs, Congress, and the trade community.
  I am very grateful for all of his help throughout the years. John is 
a delightful man to work with. We wish him the best in his retirement 
and his future endeavors. We hope Mr. Durant will return to the 
nation's Capital and lend his considerable talents to the private 
sector.

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