6 USC 301 - Definitions

Collapse to view only § 301c. Definitions

§ 301. Fee agreements for certain services at ports of entry
§ 301a. Port of entry donation authority
§ 301b. Current and proposed agreements
§ 301c. Definitions

§ 301. Fee agreements for certain services at ports of entry

(a) In generalNotwithstanding section 58c(e) of title 19 and section 1451 of title 19, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, upon the request of any entity, may enter into a fee agreement with such entity under which—

(1) U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall provide services described in subsection (b) at a United States port of entry or any other facility at which U.S. Customs and Border Protection provides or will provide such services;

(2) such entity shall remit to U.S. Customs and Border Protection a fee imposed under subsection (h) in an amount equal to the full costs that are incurred or will be incurred in providing such services; and

(3) if space is provided by such entity, each facility at which U.S. Customs and Border Protection services are performed shall be maintained and equipped by such entity, without cost to the Federal Government, in accordance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection specifications.

(b) Services described

(d) Limitations

(1) Impacts of servicesThe Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection—

(A) may enter into fee agreements under this section only for services that—

(i) will increase or enhance the operational capacity of U.S. Customs and Border Protection based on available staffing and workload; and

(ii) will not shift the cost of services funded in any appropriations Act, or provided from any account in the Treasury of the United States derived by the collection of fees, to entities under this chapter; and

(B) may not enter into a fee agreement under this section if such agreement would unduly and permanently impact services funded in any appropriations Act, or provided from any account in the Treasury of the United States, derived by the collection of fees.

(2) Number

(e) Air ports of entry

(1) Fee agreement

(2) Small airports

(3) Covered servicesIn addition to costs described in paragraph (1), a fee agreement for U.S. Customs and Border Protection services at an air port of entry referred to in paragraph (2) may provide for the reimbursement of—

(A) salaries and expenses of not more than five full-time equivalent U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers beyond the number of such officers assigned to the port of entry on the date on which the fee agreement was signed;

(B) salaries and expenses of employees of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, other than the officers referred to in subparagraph (A), to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in performing law enforcement functions; and

(C) other costs incurred by U.S. Customs and Border Protection relating to services described in subparagraph (B), such as temporary placement or permanent relocation of employees, including incentive pay for relocation, as appropriate.

(f) Port of entry size

(g) Denied application

(1) In generalIf the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection denies a proposal for a fee agreement under this section, the Commissioner shall provide the entity submitting such proposal with the reason for the denial unless—

(A) the reason for the denial is law enforcement sensitive; or

(B) withholding the reason for the denial is in the national security interests of the United States.

(2) Judicial review

(h) Fee

(1) In general

(2) Timing

(3) Oversight of feesThe Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall develop a process to oversee the services for which fees are charged pursuant to an agreement under subsection (a), including—

(A) a determination and report on the full costs of providing such services, and a process for increasing such fees, as necessary;

(B) the establishment of a periodic remittance schedule to replenish appropriations, accounts, or funds, as necessary; and

(i) Deposit of funds

(1) AccountFunds collected pursuant to any agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (a)—

(A) shall be deposited as offsetting collections;

(B) shall remain available until expended without fiscal year limitation; and

(C) shall be credited to the applicable appropriation, account, or fund for the amount paid out of such appropriation, account, or fund for any expenses incurred or to be incurred by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in providing U.S. Customs and Border Protection services under any such agreement and any other costs incurred or to be incurred by U.S. Customs and Border Protection relating to such services.

(2) Return of unused funds

(j) Termination

(1) In general

(2) Penalty

(3) Termination by the entity

(k) Annual reportThe Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall—

(1) submit an annual report identifying the activities undertaken and the agreements entered into pursuant to this section to—

(A) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(B) the Committee on Finance of the Senate;

(D) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;

(E) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;

(F) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives;

(G) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; and

(H) the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives; and

(2) not later than 15 days before entering into a fee agreement, notify the members of Congress that represent the State or Congressional District in which the affected port of entry or facility is located of such agreement.

(l) Rule of construction

(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, § 481, as added Pub. L. 114–279, § 2(a), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1413.)

§ 301a. Port of entry donation authority

(a) Personal property donation authority

(1) In generalThe Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services, may enter into an agreement with any entity to accept a donation of personal property, money, or nonpersonal services for the uses described in paragraph (3) only with respect to the following locations at which U.S. Customs and Border Protection performs or will be performing inspection services:

(A) A new or existing sea or air port of entry.

(B) An existing Federal Government-owned or -leased land port of entry.

(i) the fair market value of the donation is $75,000,000 or less; and

(ii) the fair market value of donations with respect to the land port of entry total $75,000,000 or less over the preceding five years.

(2) Limitation on monetary donations

(3) UsesDonations accepted pursuant to this subsection may be used for activities of the Office of Field Operations set forth in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of section 211(g)(3) of this title, which are related to a new or existing sea or air port of entry or a new or existing Federal Government-owned or -leased land port of entry described in paragraph (1), including expenses related to—

(A) furniture, fixtures, equipment, or technology, including the installation or deployment of such items; and

(B) the operation and maintenance of such furniture, fixtures, equipment, or technology.

(b) Real property donation authority

(1) In generalSubject to paragraph (3), the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Administrator of General Services, as applicable, may enter into an agreement with any entity to accept a donation of real property or money for uses described in paragraph (2) only with respect to the following locations at which U.S. Customs and Border Protection performs or will be performing inspection services:

(A) A new or existing sea or air port of entry.

(B) An existing Federal Government-owned land port of entry.

(i) the fair market value of the donation is $75,000,000 or less; and

(ii) the fair market value of donations with respect to the land port of entry total $75,000,000 or less over the preceding five years.

(2) UseDonations accepted pursuant to this subsection may be used for activities of the Office of Field Operations set forth in section 211(g) of this title, which are related to the construction, alteration, operation, or maintenance of a new or existing sea or air port of entry or a new or existing a 1

1 So in original.

Federal Government-owned land port of entry described in paragraph (1), including expenses related to—

(A) land acquisition, design, construction, repair, or alteration; and

(B) operation and maintenance of such port of entry facility.

(3) Limitation on real property donations

(4) Sunset

(A) In general

(B) Rule of construction

(1) Duration

(2) CriteriaIn carrying out an agreement entered into under subsection (a) or (b), the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services, shall establish criteria regarding—

(A) the selection and evaluation of donors;

(B) the identification of roles and responsibilities between U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the General Services Administration, and donors;

(C) the identification, allocation, and management of explicit and implicit risks of partnering between the Federal Government and donors;

(D) decision-making and dispute resolution processes; and

(E) processes for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the General Services Administration, as applicable, to terminate agreements if selected donors are not meeting the terms of any such agreement, including the security standards established by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

(3) Evaluation procedures

(A) In generalThe Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services, as applicable, shall—

(i) establish criteria for evaluating a proposal to enter into an agreement under subsection (a) or (b); and

(ii) make such criteria publicly available.

(B) ConsiderationsCriteria established pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall consider—

(i) the impact of a proposal referred to in such subparagraph on the land, sea, or air port of entry at issue and other ports of entry or similar facilities or other infrastructure near the location of the proposed donation;

(ii) such proposal’s potential to increase trade and travel efficiency through added capacity;

(iii) such proposal’s potential to enhance the security of the port of entry at issue;

(iv) the impact of the proposal on reducing wait times at that port of entry or facility and other ports of entry on the same border;

(v) for a donation under subsection (b)—(I) whether such donation satisfies the requirements of such proposal, or whether additional real property would be required; and(II) how such donation was acquired, including if eminent domain was used;

(vi) the funding available to complete the intended use of such donation;

(vii) the costs of maintaining and operating such donation;

(viii) the impact of such proposal on U.S. Customs and Border Protection staffing requirements; and

(ix) other factors that the Commissioner or Administrator determines to be relevant.

(i) Incomplete proposals(I) In general(II) ResubmissionIf the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines that a proposal is incomplete, the Commissioner shall—(aa) notify the appropriate entity and provide such entity with a description of all information or material that is needed to complete review of the proposal; and(bb) allow the entity to resubmit the proposal with additional information and material described in item (aa) to complete the proposal.

(ii) Complete proposalsNot later than 180 days after receiving a completed proposal to enter into an agreement under subsection (a) or (b), the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with the concurrence of the Administrator of General Services, as applicable, shall—(I) determine whether to approve or deny such proposal; and(II) notify the entity that submitted such proposal of such determination.

(4) Supplemental funding

(5) Return of donations

(6) Prohibition on certain funding

(A) In general

(B) Certification requirementBefore accepting any donations pursuant to an agreement under subsection (a) or (b), the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall certify to the congressional committees set forth in paragraph (7) that 2

2 So in original. Probably should be followed by a dash.

(i) the donation will not be used for the construction of a detention facility or a border fence or wall; and

(ii) the donor will be notified in the Donations Acceptance Agreement that the donor shall be financially responsible for all costs and operating expenses related to the operation, maintenance, and repair of the donated real property until such time as U.S. Customs and Border Protection provides the donor written notice otherwise.

(7) Annual reportsThe Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in collaboration with the Administrator of General Services, as applicable, shall submit an annual report identifying the activities undertaken and agreements entered into pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) to—

(A) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(B) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate;

(D) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;

(E) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;

(F) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;

(G) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives;

(H) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives;

(I) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and

(J) the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives.

(d) GAO reportThe Comptroller General of the United States shall submit an 3

3 So in original. Probably should be “a”.

biennial report to the congressional committees referred to in subsection (c)(7) that evaluates—

(1) fee agreements entered into pursuant to section 301 of this title;

(2) donation agreements entered into pursuant to subsections (a) and (b); and

(3) the fees and donations received by U.S. Customs and Border Protection pursuant to such agreements.

(e) Judicial review

(f) Rule of construction

(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, § 482, as added Pub. L. 114–279, § 2(a), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1417; amended Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title III, § 301, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2149; Pub. L. 117–81, div. F, title LXIV, § 6410, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2408.)

§ 301b. Current and proposed agreements

Nothing in this part or in section 4 of the Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act of 2016 may be construed as affecting—

(1) any agreement entered into pursuant to section 560 of division D of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public Law 113–6) or section 559 of title V of division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (6 U.S.C. 211 note; Public Law 113–76), as in existence on the day before December 16, 2016, and any such agreement shall continue to have full force and effect on and after such date; or

(2) a proposal accepted for consideration by U.S. Customs and Border Protection pursuant to such section 559, as in existence on the day before December 16, 2016.

(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, § 483, as added Pub. L. 114–279, § 2(a), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1421.)

§ 301c. Definitions

In this part:

(1) Donor

(2) Entity

The term “entity” means any—

(A) person;

(B) partnership, corporation, trust, estate, cooperative, association, or any other organized group of persons;

(D) any other private or governmental entity.

(Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, § 484, as added Pub. L. 114–279, § 2(a), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1421.)