Questions:
Question 1
Go to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Website, located at https://cbp.gov/. Select one of the Task Force Reports from the tab entitled, "Newsroom, Fact Sheets" and review the contents on that page. Be prepared to discuss.
From the e-Activity, determine how the content of the report you selected would most likely impact U.S. businesses seeking to do business in foreign countries. Provide specific examples to support your response.
The Fact Sheet that I selected was under the Trade link titled: Importer Self Assessment (ISA) Program. This is a program that reaches out to importers with the goal of evaluating and building importers' systems of internal controls while strengthening the lines of communication between the trade and CBP. When obtaining a membership to this program, importers receive tangible benefits while allowing CBP to redirect valuable resources to focus on high-risk and unknown importers. Some of the benefits of ISA membership include expedited cargo release, Importer Trade Activity (ITRAC) Data free of charge, entries processed through the Centers of Excellence and Expertise, and removal from Regulatory Audit's audit pool. For a U.S. business that is seeking to do business in a foreign country, this program helps make it easier to transport low-risk goods across the border and free more resources to be directed toward high-risk activities.
Referencing the same report, determine how universities and state and community colleges might use it to effectively plan for expansion in the world trade market.
Universities and state/community collages would benefit from the Beyond Boarder Action Plan. Currently this plan is an initiativethat supports an ongoing U.S. partnership with Canada to enhance security and accelerate the legitimate flow of people, goods, and services between the two countries. One feature of the action plan calls for the U.S. and Canada to adopt a common framework for their self assessment programs that will align requirements and enhance member benefits to help trusted businesses move efficiently across the border. With the ISA looking to expand their program, hopefully this plan will start to include other foreign countries.
https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/isa_factsheet_2.pdf
Qustion 2
The Homeland Security Act has been the subject of much scrutiny and criticism. From your own experience, suggest two changes that could be made to security procedures to deter terrorism and discuss their potential benefits.
Speculate the threats to importing and exporting activities that might exist if the changes you describe are not enacted.
From a personal standpoint I don't have particular experience with this act, but I do believe that oversights as well a periodic review of the laws in place are critical to its overall effectiveness. This is what happened in 2011 when President Obama passed Executive Order 13563. Essentially this order allowed for the revision of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. What I really thought was interesting is how the government allowed the public to input their ideas into the plan. This was accomplished by according to (Homeland Security, 2012) registering this order in the Federal Registry for public input. In addition through an online tool called IdeaScale the public was able to start a dialogue of their ideas as well as vote on each other's thoughts. The other concept of oversight is vital the Homeland Security Act as a whole. If the agencies charged with enforcing these laws are not efficient then what is the point of even having a law like this in place. As a result terrorism and other crimes will be on the rise.
The threats that could affect the importing and exporting business if these changes are not made, or if already made are not effective is terrorism could become rampant. Similarly issues such as counterfeiting, fraud, money laundering as well as corruption could plague the business as a whole.
Reference: Homeland Security. (2012, July 23). DHS implementation of Executive Order 13563. Retrieved from www.dhs.gov/dhs-implementation-executive-order-13563