Senate votes to let Customs keep user fees

The Senate on Tuesday voted to provide additional protections for the commercial functions of the Customs Service if the agency is transferred to the proposed Homeland Security Department.

The vote came on an amendment to homeland security legislation, H.R. 5005. The amendment would clarify that user fees collected from vehicles entering the United States would be dedicated exclusively toward Customs programs. Of that, $350 million per year of the more than $1 billion collected to cover inspection costs would be earmarked for Customs' new import-processing computer system, the Automated Commercial Environment.

The amendment also makes clear that a Treasury Department group called the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations would remain in existence to advise the Homeland Security secretary on Customs' commercial operations.

The Finance Committee amendment was "just to make certain the commercial functions of this entity are not lost," a Senate aide said.