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Requires that the party listed as the importer of record for goods be a person or entity located in the United States, increases bonding and payment controls, and directs U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to write and enforce new regulations. It also raises the minimum continuous import bond to $100,000 and limits use of broker bonds except in narrow situations for certain express consignment operators. Imposes new electronic payment rules requiring payments from a U.S. bank account in the importer’s legal name with bank identity verification, and gives CBP authority to refuse noncompliant payments and penalize false statements. Most new rules and payment/bond changes take effect one year after enactment, with CBP required to issue implementing regulations within 360 days.
The bill strengthens customs accountability, fraud prevention, and revenue protection by requiring U.S.-based importer responsibilities, verified U.S. payments, and higher bonds—at the cost of increased compliance burdens, higher upfront costs for small importers, and risk of slower imports or trade
Consumers and importers benefit from clearer importer-of-record rules and defined terms (affiliate, control, covered country), making it easier to identify responsible parties and resolve disputes.
Consumers and the public gain stronger enforcement and deterrence against fraud and false declarations because CBP must issue verification rules, set penalties, and limit repeated use of the same individual as importer of record.
Businesses and taxpayers get improved customs revenue protection because continuous bonds must be at least $100,000 and CBP can require higher bonds when appropriate, reducing risk of unpaid duties.
Importers, banks, and CBP will have more accurate, auditable payment trails because duties, taxes, and fees must be paid electronically from U.S.-chartered accounts with bank attestations of account ownership.
Small and medium importers (and some individuals) face materially higher compliance and financing costs because importer-of-record, U.S.-account, and $100,000 bond requirements raise upfront and ongoing expenses.
Import-dependent businesses and consumers risk slower shipments and delivery delays because new CBP verification, payment refusals for noncompliant transfers, and additional paperwork can hold cargo.
Customs brokers and importers lose flexibility and may incur extra administrative costs because brokers can no longer use their own bonds for clients and third-party payment arrangements are constrained.
Banks and their customers may face slower onboarding and higher fees due to stricter identity verification and attestations for U.S.-chartered accounts used to pay duties and taxes.
Designates the official short title of the Act as the "Securing Accountability in Foreign Entries Act."
Amends 19 U.S.C. 1484(a)(2)(B) to require that the importer of record be a party located in the United States and to revise the third sentence to set detailed qualifications.
Requires that the importer of record be an entity or individual with a physical location in the United States (i.e., located in the United States).
Defines 'affiliate' as an entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another entity.
Defines 'control' as ownership of more than 50 percent of the voting securities or equivalent interests in an entity.
Who is affected and how:
Importers (including small and large businesses): Face stricter eligibility requirements (must be U.S.-based or meet defined affiliate rules), new payment procedures, and higher continuous bond minimums. Small importers may face increased compliance costs, bank documentation requirements, and higher bonding costs that could raise the cost of importing.
Financial institutions (U.S. banks): Must perform identity verification for importer bank accounts, provide account information and attestation to CBP, and process electronic transfers that meet CBP rules. This increases operational and compliance duties for banks and may require new onboarding or monitoring procedures.
Customs brokers: Lose the general ability to use their own bonds for clients unless they are the importer of record; this narrows some broker practices and may shift responsibilities back to importers or certain permitted carriers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Federal employees: CBP must develop, issue, and enforce detailed regulations, expand investigative approaches that do not rely on brokers/sureties, and administer penalties and payment refusals—requiring staff time and rulemaking resources.
Carriers/express consignment operators: Large, U.S.-based operators may be able to designate wholly owned broker subsidiaries to act as importer of record under strict regulatory conditions; other carriers may see limits on how broker bonds are used.
Supply chains and consumers: Potential downstream effects include higher import costs (from increased bonding or bank charges) and administrative delays during implementation and regulatory compliance. The law aims to reduce fraud and revenue loss, which could protect government tariff revenue but may increase costs for some import-dependent businesses.
Overall trade enforcement impact: The legislation tightens financial controls and importer identity verification intended to reduce fraud and enhance revenue protection, but it also increases compliance burdens and costs for importers and banks and may reshape broker and carrier practices.
Amends the third sentence of 19 U.S.C. 1484(a)(2)(B) and inserts new detailed requirements defining who may serve as the importer of record, limits on individuals serving as importer of record, exceptions for customs brokers designated by express consignment operators or carriers, requirements for foreign entities with U.S. subsidiaries, and definitions for terms including affiliate, control, covered country, full-time employee, and physical location.
Section references 19 U.S.C. 1641 to cite the licensing provision for customs brokers (Tariff Act of 1930) when permitting designation of a customs broker to serve as importer of record for certain express consignment operators or carriers; does not amend the cited statute.
Amends paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of 19 U.S.C. 1484 to redesignate subparagraphs and clauses, modify wording, and add new requirements making the importer of record responsible for paying duties, taxes, and fees directly to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and adding new payment and account verification requirements.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced March 5, 2026 by Bill Cassidy · Last progress March 5, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced in Senate