[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 27, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E54]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PHILIP M. CRANE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 27, 2004

  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the U.S. Bureau of 
Customs and Border Protection on the 51st anniversary of International 
Customs Day. On January 26, 1953, the World Customs Organization, 
formally known as the Customs Co-operation Council, held its first 
meeting in Brussels, Belgium. At this meeting, the Council designated 
January 26 as International Customs Day in order to recognize the role 
that customs services around the world play in facilitating trade while 
protecting national borders from importations posing security threats.
  Finding this balance is particularly difficult given the challenges 
our country currently faces. It will be important for the Bureau of 
Customs and Border Protection to continue to offer the world class 
level of trade service and facilitation that U.S. business has come to 
rely on while ensuring that security needs are addressed. It will also 
be important to maintain the revenue collection linkage with the 
Treasury Department that has historically been so significant.
  At one time, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, then the 
Customs Service, was the sole revenue producer for the young United 
States. Although that role has diminished over the years, Customs 
collected a record $23.8 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2002. Today, 
Customs is still a major source of revenue for the Federal Government, 
returning about $8 to the taxpayer for every dollar appropriated by 
Congress.
  For nearly 125 years, Customs funded virtually the entire government 
and paid for the nation's early growth and infrastructure. The 
territories of Louisiana, Oregon, Florida and Alaska were purchased; 
the National Road from Cumberland, Maryland, to Wheeling, West 
Virginia, was constructed; and the Transcontinental Railroad stretched 
from sea-to-sea. Customs collections built the nation's lighthouses, 
the U.S. military and naval academies, and the City of Washington, and 
the list goes on. In 1835, Customs revenues alone had reduced the 
national debt to zero.
  Customs was the parent or forerunner to many other agencies. In the 
early days, Customs officers administered military pensions (Department 
of Veterans Affairs), collected import and export statistics (Bureau of 
Census), and supervised revenue cutters (U.S. Coast Guard). Customs 
also collected hospital dues to help sick and disabled seaman (Public 
Health Service) and established standard weights and measures (National 
Bureau of Standards).

  During the first stages of the response to the terrorist attack on 
September 11th in New York and Washington, D.C., Customs quickly 
assumed a leading role. The international nature of the terrorist 
threat means that international customs cooperation has become vitally 
important. In January 2002, Customs initiated the Container Security 
Initiative (CSI), which allows Customs officials to screen containers 
at designated foreign seaports. In CSI's first year alone, Customs 
reached agreement with 15 governments to place Customs personnel at 24 
ports.
  The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection also works with customs 
officials in foreign governments through the auspices of the World 
Customs Organization, which speaks for 161 Customs administrations 
drawn from every continent and representing every stage of economic 
development. The United States has been a member since November 5, 
1970.
  WCO Members are responsible for ensuring that more than 98 percent of 
international trade is conducted in compliance with national 
legislation and international agreements. The WCO renders technical 
assistance in areas such as customs tariffs, valuation, nomenclature, 
and law enforcement. Its objective is to obtain, in the interest of 
international trade, the best possible degree of uniformity among the 
customs systems of member nations. America benefits when both exporters 
and importers operate in an atmosphere of simple unambiguous customs 
operations around the world.
  I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the U.S. Bureau of 
Customs and Border Protection for its fine work both nationally and 
internationally, and I look forward to the completion of work within 
the World Customs Organization to further harmonize and simplify the 
customs rules that affect international commerce.

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