Skip to content
Congress·In Committee·12 months ago

Congress Proposes New Law to Speed Up Border Trade and Modernize Customs Technology

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill aims to make it easier and faster for goods to move across U.S. borders. It creates a 'single window' digital system so businesses only have to submit their paperwork once, instead of dealing with many different government agencies separately. This is intended to reduce delays and lower the cost of shipping goods.
  • The plan creates a new council to make sure different government groups—like those focused on health, safety, and the environment—work together at the border. By using the same names for items and sharing data, these agencies can avoid asking businesses for the same information multiple times.
  • Businesses that export goods would see less red tape. For example, if a company makes a small clerical error on a form, they would not be fined unless they have a repeated pattern of mistakes. It also speeds up 'drawback' payments, which are refunds the government gives to companies when they export certain products.
  • The bill requires the government to be more transparent by providing clear contact information for border officials and setting strict deadlines for responding to business requests. It also adds new instructions to help companies make sure they are not accidentally importing goods made with forced labor.
  • To ensure the system works well, the government would be required to check if there is already a commercial technology that can handle these tasks before building a custom one. It also authorizes funding starting in 2026 to keep these digital systems updated and running smoothly.
Economy FinanceInfrastructure TransportationTechnology Digital

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Mar 11, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Mar 11, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

180 days after enactment

CBP completes assessment of whether a commercial technology solution exists for the single-window cargo processing system

This determines whether the government builds a custom system or buys an existing one, affecting how quickly businesses see improvements in trade processing.

1 year after enactment

GAO reports on CBP fee schedule and response time deadlines delivered to Congress

These reports could lead to lower fees for compliant businesses and faster government responses to trade community requests, though further Congressional action may be needed.

Related News

3 articles
International Trade Today·12 months ago

Customs Modernization Bill Focused on Facilitation Introduced

Sens. Bill Cassidy and Catherine Cortez Masto introduced the Customs Facilitation Act of 2025, aiming to create a 'true single window' for importers and reduce redundancies in manifest data. The bill directs CBP to implement ACE 2.0 and allows for accelerated payment of duty drawbacks.

C=
Bloomberg·12 months ago

Bipartisan Bill Aims to Streamline US Border Inspections

The Customs Facilitation Act of 2025 seeks to modernize trade infrastructure by codifying the Border Interagency Executive Council and simplifying duty drawback claims. Proponents say the bill will lower shipping costs by eliminating the need for businesses to submit data to multiple agencies.

CL=
Politico·12 months ago

Cassidy, Cortez Masto push for customs overhaul to cut 'red tape'

The newly introduced Customs Facilitation Act of 2025 would exempt businesses from penalties for minor clerical errors in export data, provided they are not part of a pattern of misconduct. The bill also mandates a GAO study on CBP's fee structure to identify further efficiencies.

CL=

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Customs Facilitation Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 956
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
D: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.