Photo source: AMAC
Rep. Charles Boustany (LA-3) has recently came out in support of the PROTECT Act and the impact it would have on the seafood industry in the State of Louisiana. The PROTECT Act, according to a recent email release by Boustany, would do the following:
- Create a dedicated unit within U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to prevent and investigate trade evasion.
- Create a CBP point of contact for private sector trade evasion allegations with the authority to direct evasion investigations and the duty to inform interested parties about the status of investigations.
- Require CBP and the U.S. Department of Commerce to establish procedures to ensure maximum cooperation and communication in order to quickly, efficiently, and accurately investigate allegations of trade evasion.
- Direct CBP to enter into agreements with foreign countries to enable proactive investigation overseas.
- Require CBP to annually report to Congress on all of the agency's activities to combat trade evasion.
The bill is now headed to a conference committee between the House and Senate.
