HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS MARKS $105 MILLION FOR ACE DEVELOPMENT

U.S. HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS MARKS $105 MILLION FOR ACE DEVELOPMENT The U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and General Government has marked $105 million for development of Customs’ future computer system in fiscal 2001.
   Customs had requested $210 million for its Automated Commercial Environment, but the $105 million will help the agency get the long awaited system into development.
   Industry leaders are pleased with the subcommittee’s actions to start the ACE funding process.
   “This is very significant,” said Jon Kent, Washington representative for the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America. “It’s the first time that there’s been actual funding specifically for ACE by an appropriations committee.”
   Funding for ACE development has been strongly supported by Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., chairman of the House Appropriations Treasury-Postal subcommittee. He has told industry officials that he won’t back down on the $105 million for ACE.
   Overall, the markup of the Treasury-Postal spending bill contains $233.4 million for Customs automation. “Since ACE funding is in the same account, they can move money around,” Kent said. “It’s conceivable that ACE could receive more money.”
   Another significant aspect of the Appropriations spending bill markup is that once the money starts to pour in for ACE, Congress is not likely to shut it off. The concern, however, will be on maintaining or increasing annual levels of funding.
   The rest of the Customs automation funding package provides $128 million to maintain Customs’ current system, the Automated Commercial System, which Customs and industry analysts say risks shutting down if it’s not replaced with newer, more flexible technology.
   The International Trade Data System, a Customs-developed system which promises to link more than 100 government agencies with an interest in international trade data, has been appropriated $5.4 million by the subcommittee.
   The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to mark up its version for ACE funding by the end of the month. Senate and House appropriators will go to conference on the Customs automation funding issue by the end of September.