THANK YOU to all who registered and participated in our December Virtual fly-in meeting!

During this round of virtual meetings, NAFTZ members:

• Had a record participation with over 200 registrations to join meetings
• Covered a lot of Congressional offices, with 14 scheduled meetings conducted
• Got prepared with a pre-meeting webinar, distributed talking points and notes on the Congressional members with whom we were meeting
• Gave example after example of how critical CBP funding is for the success and growth of the FTZ program

As we explained in the meetings with Congressional staff, the NAFTZ is finding more and more occasions where FTZ operations are facing challenges and are being curtailed because CBP doesn’t have adequate resources to support FTZ across the U.S. In our meetings, some of you recounted how, in some ports, CBP isn’t entertaining FTZ applications due to resource shortages.

Congress was receptive to the education provided on our calls, gaining more familiarity with the FTZ program and understanding the importance it plays in the U.S. economy as well as our concerns about support from CBP.

NAFTZ completed the meetings having achieved our first FY25 advocacy goals: to gain bi-partisan support on a letter to CBP from Members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security indicating concern about the impact the lack of adequate resources for CBP has on FTZ operations and asking for briefings from CBP to Congress regarding the need for additional resources for increased automation of commercial cargo processing and personnel to oversee FTZs. We plan to provide language for such a letter in January, when Congress is back in session and the Members can pursue action.

Next up: NAFTZ members will be revisiting these Congressional offices with language for program appropriations to support FTZ operations.  Our next advocacy event is the 2024 Legislative Summit in Washington, DC.  Please join us, to make your voice heard on these important topics!