see also: in October 2003:   Port of Otay Mesa Cargo Facility to Test Expanded Hours   Border Patrol Makes Two Significant Drug Seizures in New Mexico and Texas   CBP Officers Seize 3,149 Pounds of Marijuana at Otay Mesa   CBP Border Patrol Aid Local Law Enforcement Agencies With San Diego Wildfires   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Appoints Director For the Office of Trade Relations   U.S. Customs and Border Protection to Open Vacancy for Officer Positions Nationwide ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers   CBP News Releases

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Washington, D.C. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today that it will hold the Agency's 2003 "One Face at the Border" Trade Symposium in Washington, D.C. on November 20-21. In making the announcement Commissioner Robert C. Bonner said that the 4th annual event, to be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, will include discussions between senior managers of CBP and representatives of the international trade and transportation community. Some topics to be discussed include trade security; unification of functions at the border; and CBP's role in the Department of Homeland Security.

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection is quickly moving ahead to achieve President Bush's and Secretary Ridge's vision of 'One Face at the Border;' a unification that is making us more effective carrying out our priority mission of preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the country. But achieving 'One Face at the Border' is helping us to build a smarter border, one that promotes the more efficient movement of legitimate trade," said Commissioner Bonner. "For the first time in our Nation's history, there is a single U.S. border agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, responsible for managing and securing the entire U.S. border. It's one agency focusing on the whole picture at our borders, which will improve security and facilitate trade."

The Trade Symposium will open with a pre-registration reception the evening of November 19, followed by a day and a half of events beginning November 20th. This year's Symposium will feature "Beyond the Border" concepts, promoting CBP's layered strategy for protecting the American people from terrorism.

As in previous years, registration must be made on-line. The registration fee is $150. For more information, please visit the Customs and Border Protection Web site at www.cbp.gov. Reporters interested in covering the Symposium should call the number above.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a new agency within the Department of Homeland Security that unifies U.S. Customs, Immigration and Agriculture Inspectors and the Border Patrol.