NCBFAA President Calls on Cong. Istook to Address

Washington, DC: In a letter to Treasury Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Ernest Istook, the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America, Inc. (NCBFAA) President Federico "Kiko" Zuniga raised concerns over the lack of funding for Treasury's Office of Regulatory, Tariff and Trade Enforcement -- the office with authority for reviewing regulatory commercial and revenue initiatives by the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
        President Zuniga expressed concern over "the fact that the office at Treasury with responsibility for this vital function has no staff."
        Essentially, the NCBFAA President explained, the office "is a one-person show, managed and staffed by its Deputy Assistant Secretary. Treasury cannot possibly fulfill the new and expanded responsibilities given to it without a greater allocation of resources.
NCBFAA encouraged the Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman to investigate Treasury's ability to fulfill its oversight of Customs commercial functions without additional resources and to work with the agency to provide an appropriate level of funding. 
        With headquarters in Washington, DC, the NCBFAA represents over 700 member companies - the nation's leading freight forwarders, customs brokers, ocean transportation intermediaries (OTIs) and air cargo agents. Established in 1897 in New York, NCBFAA is the strong, effective national voice of the industry. Through its various committees, counsel and representatives, the Association maintains a close watch over legislative and regulatory issues that affect its members. It keeps them informed of these and other related issues through its weekly Monday Morning eBriefing, Quarterly NCBFAA Bulletin, and various meetings and conferences throughout the year.