§ 136a. Collection of fees for inspection services

(a) Quarantine and inspection fees

(1) Fees authorized

The Secretary of Agriculture may prescribe and collect fees sufficient—

(A) to cover the cost of providing agricultural quarantine and inspection services in connection with the arrival at a port in the customs territory of the United States, or the preclearance or preinspection at a site outside the customs territory of the United States, of an international passenger, commercial vessel, commercial aircraft, commercial truck, or railroad car;

(B) to cover the cost of administering this subsection; and

(C) through fiscal year 2002, to maintain a reasonable balance in the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection User Fee Account established under paragraph (5).

(2) Limitation

In setting the fees under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that the amount of the fees is commensurate with the costs of agricultural quarantine and inspection services with respect to the class of persons or entities paying the fees. The costs of the services with respect to passengers as a class includes the costs of related inspections of the aircraft or other vehicle.

(3) Status of fees

Fees collected under this subsection by any person on behalf of the Secretary are held in trust for the United States and shall be remitted to the Secretary in such manner and at such times as the Secretary may prescribe.

(4) Late payment penalties

If a person subject to a fee under this subsection fails to pay the fee when due, the Secretary shall assess a late payment penalty, and the overdue fees shall accrue interest, as required by section 3717 of title 31.

(5) Agricultural quarantine inspection user fee account

(A) Establishment

There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund, to be known as the “Agricultural Quarantine Inspection User Fee Account”, which shall contain all of the fees collected under this subsection and late payment penalties and interest charges collected under paragraph (4) through fiscal year 2002.

(B) Use of account

For each of fiscal years 1996 through 2002, funds in the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection User Fee Account shall be available, in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts, to cover the costs associated with the provision of agricultural quarantine and inspection services and the administration of this subsection. Amounts made available under this subparagraph shall be available until expended.

Fees and other amounts collected under this subsection in any of fiscal years 1996 through 2002 in excess of $100,000,000 shall be available for the purposes specified in subparagraph (B) until expended, without further appropriation.

(6) Use of amounts collected after fiscal year 2002

After September 30, 2002, the unobligated balance in the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection User Fee Account and fees and other amounts collected under this subsection shall be credited to the Department of Agriculture accounts that incur the costs associated with the provision of agricultural quarantine and inspection services and the administration of this subsection. The fees and other amounts shall remain available to the Secretary until expended without fiscal year limitation.

(7) Staff years

The number of full-time equivalent positions in the Department of Agriculture attributable to the provision of agricultural quarantine and inspection services and the administration of this subsection shall not be counted toward the limitation on the total number of full-time equivalent positions in all agencies specified in section 5(b) of the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–226; 5 U.S.C. 3101 note ) or other limitation on the total number of full-time equivalent positions.

(b) Omitted

(1) Animal inspection

The Secretary may prescribe and collect fees to reimburse the Secretary for the cost of carrying out the provisions of the Federal Animal Quarantine Laws that relate to the importation, entry, and exportation of animals, articles, or means of conveyance.

(2) Veterinary diagnostics

The Secretary may prescribe and collect fees to recover the costs of carrying out the provisions of the Animal Health Protection Act [7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.] that relate to veterinary diagnostics.

(3) Fees

All fees collected pursuant to this subsection and any late payment penalties or accrued interest collected pursuant to this subsection shall be credited to the accounts that incur the cost and shall remain available until expended without fiscal year limitation.

(4) Liability

Any person for whom an activity related to the importation, entry, or exportation of an animal, article, or means of conveyance or relating to veterinary diagnostics, is performed pursuant to the section, shall be liable for payment of fees assessed. Upon failure to pay such fees when due, the Secretary shall assess a late payment penalty, and such overdue fees shall accrue interest, as required by section 3717 of title 31. All fees, late payment penalties, and accrued interest collected shall be credited to such accounts that incur the costs and shall remain available until expended without fiscal year limitation.

(5) Leins 1

(A) In general

The Secretary shall have a lien against the animal, article, means of conveyance, or facility for which services have been provided under this section for the fees, any late payment penalty, and any accrued interest assessed under this subsection.

(B) Other animals, etc.

In the case of any person who fails to make payment when due under this subsection, the Secretary shall have a lien against any animal, article, or means of conveyance thereafter imported, moved in interstate commerce, or attempted to be exported by the person after the date of such failure until the date on which such owner or operator make ^[2] full payment to the Secretary under this subsection.

(i) Authority The Secretary may, if a person does not pay fees, late payment penalties, or accrued interest on such, after providing reasonable notice of default to such person, sell at public sale after reasonable public notice, or otherwise dispose of, any such animal, article, means of conveyance or facility on which the Secretary has a lien under this paragraph.

(ii) Excess proceeds If the sale proceeds under clause (i) exceed the fees due, any late payment penalty assessed, any accrued interest on such, and the expenses associated with the sale, such excess shall be paid to the owner of the animal, article, means of conveyance, or facility if such owner submits an application for such excess together with proof of ownership not later than 6 months after the date of such sale. If no such application is made, such excess shall be credited to accounts that incur the costs associated with the fees collected and shall remain available until expended, without fiscal year limitation. The Secretary shall suspend performance of services to persons who have failed to pay fees, late payment penalty, or accrued interest under this section.

(d) Regulations

The Secretary may prescribe such regulations as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(e) Recovery of amounts owed

An action may be brought for the recovery of fees, late payment penalties, and accrued interest which have not been paid in accordance with this section against any person obligated for payment of such assessments under this section in any United States district court or other United States court for any territory or possession in any jurisdiction in which such person is found or resides or transacts business, and such court shall have jurisdiction to hear and decide such action.

(f) Definitions

(1) Animal quarantine laws

For purposes of this section, the term “animal quarantine laws” means—

(A) section 306 of the Tariff Act of 1930 ^[3] (19 U.S.C. 1306);

(B) section 9 of the Act of August 30, 1890 (21 U.S.C. 101);

(D) any other Act administered by the Secretary relating to plant or animal diseases or pests.

(2) Customs territory

For the purposes of subsection (a) of this section, the term “customs territory of the United States” means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

(3) Person

For the purposes of this section, the term “person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, trust, association, or any other public or private entity, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof.

(4) United States

For the purposes of subsection (b) of this section, the term “United States” means the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and all other territories and possessions of the United States.

(5) Vessel

For the purposes of subsection (a) of this section, the term “vessel” does not include any ferry.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “Liens”.

[2] So in original. Probably should be “makes”.

[3] See References in Text note below.

U.S. Code

§ 136a. Collection of fees for inspection services