Congress is expected to pass legislation that will renew the expired generalized system of preferences (GSP). On April 16, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) introduced H.R. 7986 that would renew GSP from December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2030 and will allow retroactive GSP claims and refunds to the date of expiry, NCBFAA supports this action, however, there is great concern with the plethora of refunds that will be issued and the potential complications that ensue when CBP issues refunds in the form of paper checks.
We have all experienced the problems with lost or missing checks, stolen checks, and failure to deliver a refund to a trader. We want to urge Congress to mandate that Customs and Border Protection issue all GSP refunds via electronic transfers and only issue a paper check when absolutely no other option is available. Electronic transfers are also aligned with CBP’s green initiatives.
Please see the draft letter template for you to use to send to your representatives in Congress
Co-sponsors
To contact your elected Representative in Congress, visit the United States House of Representatives website and enter your home zip code. After searching, the page will display information about your Congressional district, including your current Representative. Use the mail icon's below your Representative's photo to visit their contact page and send them an electronic message.
In addition to electronic communications or letters sent directly to a Representative's office, your letter can be mailed to the following generic House of Representatives address, and it will be relayed to that Representative.
The Honorable (Name)United States House of RepresentativesWashington, D.C. 20515
For a complete list of House of Representative offices and phone numbers, visit the Directory of US Representatives here.
To contact your US Senator, visit the United States Senate website and choose your state from the dropdown menu. After making your selection, the page will automatically display information about the US Senators representing you. You will find both an online contact form and the office address of your senators listed.
In addition to electronic communications or letters sent directly to a Senator's office, your letter can be mailed to the following generic Senate address, and it will be relayed to that Senator.
The Honorable (Name)United States SenateWashington, D.C. 20510
Finally, a complete list of Senate telephone numbers is available here if you would like to speak with your Senator directly .
