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Washington, D.C.-- The president of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) today sharply criticized as "an injustice that sets back the nation's fight to effectively control its own borders" a vote by the full House to cut the pay of Customs officers by as much as 12 percent. The loss in pay could amount to as much as $5,000 a year for individual officers.

NTEU President Robert M. Tobias said NTEU and the men and women of Customs "will look to the Senate to correct this injustice" when it takes up its version of H.R. 1833, the Customs authorization bill that passed the House today.

He called the House vote "incredibly short?sighted" and said that this kind of assault not only makes it "difficult to attract and retain the skilled people the nation needs to protect our borders," but "is a terrible blow" to those already in the Customs workforce.

He likened the upcoming battle to the successful fight last year against H.R. 3809, which contained not just cuts in Customs’ officer pay, but in their collective bargaining rights as well. The anti?labor provisions of H.R. 3809 were not taken up by the Senate.

"Customs employees display their dedication to duty and professionalism every day," said Tobias. "What they need to do their jobs is a meaningful commitment from Congress and their NTEU on House Customs Pay Vote?Add One

agency in the form of adequate funding, technology and training?and not an unfair, unjustified attack on their pay." Tobias called that "not just the wrong message, but the wrong action."

He was especially critical of the. Republican majority who used a procedural maneuver to prevent fall debate on the pay provisions by the full House. "The action of cutting the pay of those in the front lines of the war against drugs could not withstand a debate on its own merits," Tobias said, "so the Republicans had to use procedural means to take this mistaken step."

The pay provision, which was opposed by Customs itself, is in an authorization bill that otherwise has widespread bipartisan support, since it contains recommendations for additional resources and manpower for the nation's principal border control agency.

On a closely?related Customs personnel matter, Tobias urged Congress to pass pending bills granting Customs Inspectors and Canine Enforcement Officers the federal law enforcement officer status that carries the early retirement rights that have long been denied to them, but that are extended to others in the federal law enforcement community.

The NTEU president said that Customs officers, who are in the front line of the nation's war against drugs, seize more drugs every year than all other law enforcement agencies combined. At the same time, they process more than 470 million travelers entering and leaving the U.S. at land, air and seaports nationwide, and they facilitate billions of dollars worth of import?export trade.

"These men and women literally put their lives on the line every single time they come to work," Tobias said. "It is law enforcement at the toughest level, face?to?face with people who would kill, if they have to, in order to smuggle drugs, launder money or commit terrorism."