HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS TO REVIEW CUSTOMS’ LAX ENFORCEMENT OVER USPS

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS TO REVIEW CUSTOMS’ LAX ENFORCEMENT OVER USPS    he U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and General Government is expected to review Customs’ lack of enforcement over shipments handled by the U.S. Postal Service.
      Customs Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly is expected to testify before the subcommittee on Friday.
      The subcommittee will be armed with a report by the Air Courier Conference of America which says Customs fails to collect more than $1 billion in duties and fees from the USPS each year.
      “This billion-dollar drain on the federal coffers is totally    unacceptable,” said Rep. Anne M. Northrup, R-Ky., “There are serious service problems with the way Customs executes its responsibilities.”
      She added that Customs has been aggressive about enforcing its laws with the express carriers, while turning a “blind eye” to the USPS.
      “The Customs Service is the second-largest source of revenue for the federal government. Every dime they miss has to be squeezed from American taxpayers,” said Leslie Paige, senior vice president of Citizens Against Government Waste, a 600,000-member taxpayer watchdog group watching the hearing.
      “Customs owes taxpayers an explanation and Congress should exercise its oversight authority for both of these agencies to end this giveaway to the Postal Service,” Paige said.