19 U.S.C. § 2072 — Officers and employees

**(a) Appointment by Secretary of the Treasury** The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to appoint, in the service established by [section 2071 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title19-section2071&num=0&edition=prelim), one assistant commissioner, three deputy commissioners, one chief clerk, and such attorneys and other officers and employees as he may deem necessary. One of the deputy commissioners of the United States Customs Service shall have charge of investigations. Appointments under this subsection shall be subject to the provisions of the civil service laws, and the salaries shall be fixed in accordance with chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5. **(b) Absence or disability of Commissioner** The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to designate an officer of the United States Customs Service to act as Commissioner of Customs,11 See Change of Name note below. during the absence or disability of the Commissioner of Customs,1 or in the event that there is no Commissioner of Customs.1 **(c) Duties of personnel** The personnel of the United States Customs Service shall perform such duties as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe. **(d) International Trade Committee** (1) **Establishment** — The Commissioner shall establish an International Trade Committee, to be chaired by the Commissioner, and to include the Deputy Commissioner, the Assistant Commissioner in the Office of Field Operations, the Assistant Commissioner in the Office of Finance, the Assistant Commissioner in the Office of International Affairs, the Assistant Commissioner in the Office of International Trade, the Director of the Office of Trade Relations, and any other official determined by the Commissioner to be important to the work of the Committee. (2) **Responsibilities** — The International Trade Committee shall— (A) be responsible for advising the Commissioner with respect to the commercial customs and trade facilitation functions of the United States Customs and Border Protection; (B) assist the Commissioner in coordinating with the Secretary regarding commercial customs and trade facilitation functions; and (C) oversee the operation of all programs and systems that are involved in the assessment and collection of duties, bonds, and other charges or penalties associated with the entry of cargo into the United States, or the export of cargo from the United States, including the administration of duty drawback and the collection of antidumping and countervailing duties. (3) **Annual report** — Not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal year, the International Trade Committee shall submit a report to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives. The report shall— (A) detail the activities of the International Trade Committee during the preceding fiscal year; and (B) identify the priorities of the International Trade Committee for the fiscal year in which the report is filed. **(e) Definition** In this section: (1) **Commissioner** — The term “Commissioner” means the Commissioner responsible for the United States Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security. (2) **Commercial Operations Advisory Committee** — The term “Commercial Operations Advisory Committee” means the Advisory Committee established pursuant to section 9503(c) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 ([19 U.S.C. 2071](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title19-section2071&num=0&edition=prelim) note) 22 See References in Text note below. or any successor committee.