(a) Whenever the President shall by proclamation declare an emergency to exist by reason of a state of war, or otherwise, he may authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to extend during the continuance of such emergency the time herein prescribed for the performance of any act, and may authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to permit, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe, the importation free of duty of food, clothing, and medical, surgical, and other supplies for use in emergency relief work. The Secretary of the Treasury shall report to the Congress any action taken under the provisions of this section.
(b)
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Treasury, when necessary to respond to a national emergency declared under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) or to a specific threat to human life or national interests, is authorized to take the following actions on a temporary basis:
(A) Eliminate, consolidate, or relocate any office or port of entry of the Customs Service.
(B) Modify hours of service, alter services rendered at any location, or reduce the number of employees at any location.
(C) Take any other action that may be necessary to respond directly to the national emergency or specific threat.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, when necessary to respond to a specific threat to human life or national interests, is authorized to close temporarily any Customs office or port of entry or take any other lesser action that may be necessary to respond to the specific threat.
(3) The Secretary of the Treasury or the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as the case may be, shall notify the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate not later than 72 hours after taking any action under paragraph (1) or (2).
References in Text
The National Emergencies Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is Pub. L. 94–412, Sept. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 1255, as amended, which is classified principally to chapter 34 (§1601 et seq.) of Title 50, War and National Defense. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of Title 50 and Tables.
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to those in subsec. (a) of this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §622, 42 Stat. 988, which was superseded by section 318 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of said 1930 Act.
Amendments
2002—Pub. L. 107–210 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).
Change of Name
"Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection" substituted for "Commissioner of Customs" in subsec. (b)(2) and (3) on authority of section 802(d)(2) of Pub. L. 114–125, set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6, Domestic Security.
Effective Date of 2002 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 107–210 applicable to petitions for certification filed under part 2 or 3 of subchapter II of chapter 12 of this title on or after the date that is 90 days after Aug. 6, 2002, except as otherwise provided, see section 151 of Pub. L. 107–210, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title.
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in Pub. L. 107–296 as of Nov. 25, 2002, see section 211 of Title 6, as amended generally by Pub. L. 114–125, and section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114–125, set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6.
Functions of Secretary of the Treasury under this section with respect to functions transferred to Secretary of Commerce in sections 1303 and 1671 et seq. of this title by section 5(a)(1)(C) of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1979 transferred to Secretary of Commerce pursuant to Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1979, §5(a)(1)(E), 44 F.R. 69275, 93 Stat. 1381, eff. Jan. 2, 1980, as provided by section 1–107(a) of Ex. Ord. No. 12188, Jan. 2, 1980, 45 F.R. 993, set out as notes under section 2171 of this title, to be exercised in consultation with Secretary of the Treasury.
Proc. No. 2948. Merchandise in General-Order and Bonded Warehouses
Proc. No. 2948, Oct. 12, 1951, 16 F.R. 10589, 65 Stat. c41, provided:
Ex. Ord. No. 13916. National Emergency Authority To Temporarily Extend Deadlines for Certain Estimated Payments
Ex. Ord. No. 13916, Apr. 18, 2020, 85 F.R. 22951, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and in furtherance of Proclamation 9994 of March 13, 2020 (Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID–19) Outbreak) [50 U.S.C. 1621 note], which declared a national emergency by reason of the threat that the novel (new) coronavirus known as SARS–CoV–2 poses to our Nation's healthcare systems, I hereby order as follows:
(b) The Secretary shall consider taking appropriate action under section 1318(a) of title 19, United States Code, to temporarily extend deadlines, for importers suffering significant financial hardship because of COVID–19, for the estimated payments described therein, other than those assessed pursuant to sections 1671, 1673, 1862, 2251, and 2411 of title 19, United States Code.
(c) The Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Homeland Security or his designee before exercising, as invoked and made available under this order, any of the authority set forth in section 1318(a) of title 19, United States Code.
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Donald J. Trump.
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