Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5862, the Global Trade Specialist Act. It is legislation that I am proud to have co-led with my friend and fellow Californian, Representative Steel. It is a bill that would allow Customs and Border Protection to fulfill the position of global trade specialist, which would help facilitate and further our Nation's trade by giving CBP the flexibility to flow with the future of international trade. As we know well, Customs and Border Protection has an important role to play when it comes to supporting trade. That is why CBP should also have the proper authority to modernize their staffing as the trade environment evolves. Currently, CBP's Office of International Trade has several distinct but separate trade positions. This includes jobs such as import specialists, international trade analysts, management and program analysts, trade economists, auditors, attorneys, and so forth. These jobs do help CBP execute and enforce U.S. trade laws and ultimately protect our American economy, but there is a position missing, and that is a global trade specialist. CBP has created such a position, but it doesn't have the flexibility, nor does it have the legal authority to hire for this position. Our legislation would give CBP that needed authority and so much more. The global trade specialist position would allow CBP to realign and reshape the workforce in response to the evolving trade environment.…”