e-Newsletter

Issue 27

    1. 4th Annual Trade Symposium to be Held November 20 & 21

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today that it will hold the Agency's 2003 "One Face at the Border" Trade Symposium in Washington, D.C. on November 20-21. In making the announcement Commissioner Robert C. Bonner said that the 4th annual event, to be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, will include discussions between senior managers of CBP and representatives of the international trade and transportation community. Some topics to be discussed include trade security; unification of functions at the border; and CBP's role in the Department of Homeland Security.

" U.S. Customs and Border Protection is quickly moving ahead to achieve President Bush's and Secretary Ridge's vision of 'One Face at the Border;' a unification that is making us more effective carrying out our priority mission of preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the country. But achieving 'One Face at the Border' is helping us to build a smarter border, one that promotes the more efficient movement of legitimate trade," said Commissioner Bonner. "For the first time in our Nation's history, there is a single U.S. border agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, responsible for managing and securing the entire U.S. border. It's one agency focusing on the whole picture at our borders, which will improve security and facilitate trade."

The Trade Symposium will open with a pre-registration reception the evening of November 19, followed by a day and a half of events beginning November 20th. This year's Symposium will feature "Beyond the Border" concepts, promoting CBP's layered strategy for protecting the American people from terrorism.

As in previous years, registration must be made on-line. The registration fee is $150. For more information, please visit the Customs and Border Protection Web site at www.cbp.gov. Reporters interested in covering the Symposium should call the number above.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a new agency within the Department of Homeland Security that unifies U.S. Customs, Immigration and Agriculture Inspectors and the Border Patrol.

SOURCE:
http://www.customs.ustreas.gov