The FPAA joined a broad group of organizations calling for increased funding for CBP officer staffing. The letter was sent to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees’ Majority and Minority leadership. The groups reiterated the need for increased funding to facilitate the movement of legitimate goods and people crossing the border:
“While we are appreciative that both the House and Senate DHS Appropriations bills maintain funding for current CBP officer staffing levels, we are disappointed that neither bill included additional resources for CBP to hire new officers. With our air, sea, and land ports reopened to international travelers that are fully vaccinated on November 8 and cruise ships resuming full operations on January 15th, we are seeing a surge in travelers that will need to be processed by CBP officers. Couple that with the identified need of 1,785 new officers in CBP’s most recent workload staffing model, finalized when COVID-related international travel restrictions were in place, it is clear that the agency needs additional officers to smoothly process travelers and cargo without long delays at our ports of entry and to facilitate new economic opportunities in communities throughout the United States. That is why we respectively reiterate our original request and are asking you to consider during conference negotiations funding for 800 additional CBP officers—half the identified need—in the final FY 2022 DHS appropriations bill.”
Read Full Letter Here: