Sponsors (8)
The bill lets CBP use merchandise processing fee revenue and annual reporting to accelerate and better plan seaport inspection upgrades, but that shift risks higher fees, reduced funding for operations, less long‑term congressional control, and potential inspection or training shortfalls if ports decline to host facilities.
Importers, businesses, travelers, and transportation workers benefit from CBP using MPF revenue to fund port equipment upgrades and build or improve inspection facilities, which should speed inspections and reduce cargo and passenger delays.
Taxpayers and Congress gain steady transparency because CBP must report annually on MPF collections and how fee revenue was spent on seaport inspection facilities, enabling oversight of fee uses.
Local and state port authorities and operators avoid being required to build or maintain administrative, training, or recreational facilities for CBP, reducing their construction and maintenance costs and letting ports prioritize commercial operations.
Importers, small businesses, and consumers could face higher costs because shifting MPF revenue toward capital projects may lead to higher MPF levels or divert funds from CBP operating costs (inspections, staffing), increasing fees or reducing service efficiency.
If ports choose not to host CBP facilities, CBP may incur higher operational and logistical costs or be forced to build separate facilities, which could slow inspections, create port delays, and increase federal spending.
Using MPF revenues for capital projects in lieu of explicit appropriations risks reducing congressional visibility and long-term oversight of border funding decisions, potentially making spending choices less transparent to taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Introduced July 10, 2025 by Laurel Lee · Last progress July 10, 2025
Allows U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to use merchandise processing fee (MPF) revenue to pay capital costs for inspection equipment and facilities at seaports, bars CBP from requiring seaports to provide administrative/training/recreational facilities for CBP, and requires an annual report to Congress on MPF collections, amounts spent at seaports, and outstanding capital needs. The change to MPF use takes effect 180 days after enactment and reporting begins within one year.