Sponsors (8)
The bill lets CBP use MPF user-fee revenue and requires annual reporting to fund and target seaport inspection improvements—potentially speeding processing and reducing near-term taxpayer burden—while shifting costs toward importers/consumers and creating risks of uneven funding and weaker oversight.
Travelers, shippers, and border communities could see faster, more secure passenger and cargo processing because CBP may use Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) revenue to fund seaport inspection equipment and passenger-processing capital improvements.
Taxpayers face less immediate pressure on federal appropriations because the bill enables using user-fee revenue (MPF) for certain port capital costs instead of relying solely on general revenues.
Local seaport operators and port authorities are protected from new federal construction/maintenance obligations (CBP administrative, training, or recreational facilities), avoiding local construction and upkeep costs and preserving port control over property use and planning.
Importers and consumers could pay more because higher MPF levels or reallocation of fees may increase costs for shipping and goods, which can be passed along in prices.
Relying on user fees to fund capital projects risks uneven investment—busy, high-fee ports could get upgrades while low-traffic ports remain underfunded, harming local economies and supply-chain resilience.
Allowing MPF revenue to pay for capital costs without strong, explicit Congressional controls risks reduced accountability and the possibility of fee increases or reallocations without adequate oversight.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Permits MPF receipts to fund CBP salaries, expenses, and capital costs (including seaport inspection facilities), bars CBP from forcing ports to provide certain facilities, and requires annual MPF reporting.
Allows Customs user fees (merchandise processing fees, MPF) to be used not only for salaries and expenses but also for capital costs, including equipment and inspection facilities at seaports; bars CBP from requiring ports to provide administrative, training, or recreational facilities to support inspections; and requires annual congressional reporting on MPF receipts, expenditures for seaport inspection facilities, and outstanding capital needs. The change to permit use of MPF for capital costs takes effect 180 days after enactment, and the annual reporting starts within one year.
Introduced July 10, 2025 by Laurel Lee · Last progress July 10, 2025