PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may give an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card (ABT Card) to people who meet three rules: they must be U.S. citizens, already approved and in good standing in an international trusted traveler program of the Department, and either do business in the Asia‑Pacific region or be a U.S. government official working on APEC matters as the Commissioner decides. The Commissioner must use the same application, renewal, and revocation steps as existing trusted traveler programs and can talk with private groups, schools, and other organizations when setting up the program. The Commissioner must set and collect a fee for issuing and renewing ABT Cards. The fees each fiscal year must cover the direct and indirect costs of running the card program. Fees go into the “Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account” in the U.S. Treasury and are used by CBP until spent. If CBP spends money on the ABT Card program beyond what the fees cover, the Commissioner must notify the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs within 60 days after those extra funds are spent. A “trusted traveler program” means a voluntary CBP program that speeds up entry for pre‑approved, low‑risk travelers.

Title 6, §218

Domestic Security, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized to issue an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card (referred to in this section as an “ABT Card”) to any individual described in subsection (b).

(b)Card issuance

An individual described in this subsection is an individual who—

(1)is a citizen of the United States;

(2)has been approved and is in good standing in an existing international trusted traveler program of the Department; and

(3)is—

(A)engaged in business in the Asia-Pacific region, as determined by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; or

(B)a United States Government official actively engaged in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation business, as determined by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

(c)Integration with existing travel programs

The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall integrate application procedures for, and issuance, renewal, and revocation of, ABT Cards with existing international trusted traveler programs of the Department.

(d)Cooperation with private entities and nongovernmental organizations

In carrying out this section, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may consult with appropriate private sector entities and nongovernmental organizations, including academic institutions.

(e)Fee

(1)In general

The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall—

(A)prescribe and collect a fee for the issuance and renewal of ABT Cards; and

(B)adjust such fee to the extent the Commissioner determines necessary to comply with paragraph (2).

(2)Limitation

The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall ensure that the total amount of the fees collected under paragraph (1) during any fiscal year is sufficient to offset the direct and indirect costs associated with carrying out this section during such fiscal year, including the costs associated with operating and maintaining the ABT Card issuance and renewal processes.

(3)Account for collections

There is established in the Treasury of the United States an “Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account” into which the fees collected under paragraph (1) shall be deposited as offsetting receipts.

(4)Use of funds

Amounts deposited into the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account established under paragraph (3) shall—

(A)be credited to the appropriate account of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for expenses incurred in carrying out this section; and

(B)remain available until expended.

(f)Notification

The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall notify the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate not later than 60 days after the expenditures of funds to operate and provide ABT Card services beyond the amounts collected under subsection (e)(1).

(g)Trusted traveler program defined

In this section, the term “trusted traveler program” means a voluntary program of the Department that allows U.S. Customs and Border Protection to expedite clearance of pre-approved, low-risk travelers arriving in the United States.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 218, Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, § 418, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2181, related to reports to Congress from the United States Customs Service and the Secretary of the Treasury, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 114–125, title VIII, § 802(f), Feb. 24, 2016, 130 Stat. 210.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Funds From APEC Business Travel Card Account Pub. L. 115–79, § 3, Nov. 2, 2017, 131 Stat. 1259, provided that: “(a) In General.—Notwithstanding the repeal of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 (Public Law 112–54; 8 U.S.C. 1185 note) pursuant to section 4(b)(1), amounts deposited into the APEC Business Travel Card Account established pursuant to such Act as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 2, 2017] are hereby transferred to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account established pursuant to section 418(e) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 [6 U.S.C. 218(e)] (as added by section 2(a) of this Act), and shall be available without regard to whether such amounts are expended in connection with expenses incurred with respect to an ABT Card issued at any time before or after such date of enactment. “(b) Availability.—Amounts deposited in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account established pursuant to section 418(e) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, in addition to the purposes for which such amounts are available pursuant to such subsection, shall also be available for expenditure in connection with expenses incurred with respect to ABT Cards issued at any time before the date of the enactment of such section. “(c) Termination.—After the completion of the transfer described in subsection (a), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account established pursuant to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 shall be closed.”

§218 Asia-pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards