Announces Plans to Introduce Legislation to Address CBP Failures

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jim Risch criticized the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s decision to maintain adjusted hours at northern U.S. ports, including Porthill Port of Entry in Idaho. Risch has long advocated for a return to pre-pandemic hours.

Following CBP’s decision, Risch announced he will introduce legislation requiring CBP’s hours of operations at northern ports to match or exceed pre-pandemic hours.

“Shortened hours at America’s northern ports, like Porthill in Idaho, have detrimentally affected our economy and hurt our communities and the state of Idaho. The pandemic has long been over, so pandemic hours must cease. CBP’s failure to return to pre-pandemic hours is unacceptable. To address their negligence, I am introducing a bill to require our northern ports to at minimum return to pre-pandemic hours.”

In June, Risch led a bicameral, bipartisan letter to CBP demanding northern ports expand the hours of operations at ports of entry in Idaho and other northern states or, at minimum, match the operating hours with their adjacent Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) ports. That letter is available here.