text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Customs Training Enhancement Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS TO IMPROVE ABILITY OF U.S. CUSTOMS AND 
                BORDER PROTECTION PERSONNEL TO CLASSIFY AND APPRAISE 
                IMPORTED ARTICLES.
  
      (a) Educational Seminars.--
              (1) In general.--The Commissioner shall establish and carry 
          out educational seminars at United States ports of entry to 
          improve the ability of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
          personnel to classify and appraise articles imported into the 
          United States in accordance with the customs laws of the United 
          States, including to improve the ability of U.S. Customs and 
          Border Protection personnel to identify and prevent the 
          mislabeling and transshipment of articles.
              (2) Number and exception.--The Commissioner shall establish 
          and carry out not less than 15 educational seminars each year 
          under paragraph (1). The Commissioner may establish and carry 
          out fewer than 15 seminars each year under paragraph (1) if the 
          Commissioner determines and notifies Congress that it is 
          appropriate to do so.
      (b) Content.--
              (1) In general.--The Commissioner and interested parties 
          selected under subsection (d) should provide instruction and 
          related instructional materials at each educational seminar to 
          U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel and, as 
          appropriate, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel 
          on the following:
                      (A) Conducting a physical inspection of an article 
                  imported into the United States, including testing of 
                  samples of the article, to determine if the article is 
                  mislabeled in the manifest or other accompanying 
                  documentation.
                      (B) Reviewing the manifest and other accompanying 
                  documentation of an article imported into the United 
                  States to determine if--
                              (i) the country of origin of the article 
                          listed in the manifest or other accompanying 
                          documentation is accurate; and
                              (ii) the industry supply chain represented 
                          in the manifest or other accompanying 
                          documentation is accurate.
                      (C) Other related matters as determined to be 
                  appropriate by the Commissioner.
              (2) Approval of commissioner.--The instruction and related 
          instructional materials at each educational seminar shall be 
          subject to the approval of the Commissioner.
      (c) Costs and Expenses.--The Commissioner shall pay the costs to 
  establish and carry out each educational seminar and shall pay expenses 
  for U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel, U.S. Immigration and 
  Customs Enforcement personnel, and interested parties to provide 
  instruction in or receive training at the seminar.
      (d) Selection Process.--
              (1) In general.--The Commissioner shall establish a process 
          to solicit, evaluate, and select interested parties for 
          purposes of assisting in providing instruction in the 
          educational seminars under this section.
              (2) Criteria.--The Commissioner shall, in consultation with 
          the United States International Trade Commission, evaluate and 
          select interested parties under the process established under 
          paragraph (1) based on--
                      (A) availability and usefulness;
                      (B) the volume, value, and incidence of mislabeling 
                  of an imported article that relates to a comparable 
                  domestic product of the interested party; and
                      (C) other appropriate criteria established by the 
                  Commissioner.
              (3) Public availability.--The Commissioner shall publish in 
          the Federal Register a detailed description of the process 
          established under paragraph (1) and the criteria established 
          under paragraph (2).
  
  SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means the 
          Commissioner responsible for U.S. Customs and Border 
          Protection.
              (2) Comparable domestic product.--The term ``comparable 
          domestic product'' means a product which is comparable in 
          characteristics and uses with an article imported into the 
          United States and which is covered by an educational seminar 
          under this Act.
              (3) Customs laws of the united states.--The term ``customs 
          laws of the United States'' means any law or regulation 
          enforced or administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
              (4) Interested party.--The term ``interested party'' 
          means--
                      (A) a manufacturer, producer, or wholesaler in the 
                  United States of a comparable domestic product;
                      (B) a certified union or recognized union or group 
                  of workers which is representative of an industry 
                  engaged in the manufacture, production, or wholesale in 
                  the United States of a comparable domestic product;
                      (C) a trade or business association a majority of 
                  whose members manufacture, produce, or wholesale a 
                  comparable domestic product in the United States; or
                      (D) an association, a majority of whose members is 
                  composed of interested parties described in 
                  subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) with respect to a 
                  comparable domestic product.
              (5) United states.--The term ``United States'' means the 
          customs territory of the United States, as defined in General 
          Note 2 to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
              (6) U.S. customs and border protection personnel.--The term 
          ``U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel'' means Import 
          Specialists and other appropriate employees of U.S. Customs and 
          Border Protection.
  
  SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
  $3,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 2017.
target: Customs Training Enhancement Act - Directs the Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to establish educational seminars at U.S. ports of entry to improve the ability of CBP personnel to classify and appraise articles imported into the United States in accordance with U.S. customs laws, including their ability to identify and prevent the mislabeling and transshipment of such articles.
feat_title: Customs Training Enhancement Act