Check out our Top Rewards Cards to boost your points earning and travel more!
When you pass through a US Customs and Border Protection checkpoint, have you ever thought, “I would like to give them a donation?”
Congress thinks you may be interested. Or perhaps they can further shake down airlines that have already paid overtime for CBP agents at airports such as JFK so some connecting passengers can make their flights.
The CBP issued a press release outlining the 5-year pilot program:
In recent years, the U.S. has experienced a record increase in international trade and travel. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is frequently asked to provide new or additional port of entry- related services to support our country’s rising traffic volumes but is not always able to accommodate these requests due to on-going resource constraints.
Recognizing these challenges, Congress has authorized CBP, in collaboration with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), to conduct a five-year pilot program permitting CBP to enter into partnerships with private sector and government entities at ports of entry for certain services and to accept certain donations under Section 559 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, P.L. 113-76. Since enactment in January 2014, CBP and GSA have worked closely to establish the framework that will be used to implement subsection (f) of Section 559, referred to as the Donation Acceptance Authority.
Section 599 (f) (2) covers Allowable Uses of Donations:
(2) Allowable uses of donations
The Commissioner and the Administrator, with respect to any donation provided pursuant to paragraph (1), may—
(A) use such donation for necessary activities related to the construction, alteration, operation, or maintenance of an existing port of entry facility under the jurisdiction, custody, and control of the Commissioner, including expenses related to— (i)land acquisition, design, construction, repair and alteration; (ii)furniture, fixtures, and equipment; (iii)the deployment of technology and equipment; and (iv)operations and maintenance; or
(B) transfer such property or services to the Administrator for necessary activities described in subparagraph (A) related to a new or existing port of entry under the jurisdiction, custody, and control of the Administrator, subject to chapter 33 of title 40, United States Code.
No word on tax deductibility.
Will there be CBP Santas with bells and kettles at an airport near you just in time for the holidays?
Check Out Our: Top Rewards Cards ¦ Newsletter ¦ Twitter ¦ Facebook ¦ Instagram
Maybe if they did not give everyone such a hard time, then the volume would not be such an issue!
[…] and notes from around the interweb: US Customs and Border Patrol accepts donations. (I’d definitely rather tip housekeeping at Marriotts) A US Airways flight was delayed […]
That is something else! I guess that high volume of people coming in the US did not translate to enough tax revenue through other streams…
One wonders how a donation differs from a bribe. Weird. I guess this means the cost of Global Entry will go up.