LLUSCBA Chairman Jose David Gonzalez Testified at Congressional Hearing
     On May 1, customs broker and Chairman of the Laredo Association, Jose D. Gonzalez, testified at a field hearing held by the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security (House Homeland Security Committee). The hearing was chaired by Rep. Michael McCaul and ranking minority member Henry Cuellar. 
Mr. Gonzalez' testimony focused on several important southern border issues including the need for additional personnel, the value of non-intrusive scanning, and C-TPAT.  A central point to his testimony however was his assertion that the accuracy of the data used by CBP to assess risk depends on who files that data. The answer, not surprisingly, is that a licensed customs broker can be relied upon to provide the government reliable information better than others.
     You can read a brief summary of his presented testimony below:
  1. Reexamine the role of the customs broker and its ability to increase the accuracy of data used by CBP for targeting (thus implying that in-bonds and ISF filings should be "customs business");
  2. Reconsider CBP's policy of immediately suspending C-TPAT partners before a though investigation;
  3. Provide additional non-intrusive mobile scanning units (x-ray) now and to provide fixed scanning units at each primary booth in the future when the technology allows for faster scans;
  4. Provide additional personnel to fully utilize the infrastructure improvements to the primary booths, secondary express, and exit gate improvements at WTB.
     His written testimony and the archived video of the congressional hearing is available on the following webpage.