Postal Duty Collection Changes Published in the Federal Register

New federal regulations governing duty collection on certain mail sent from the U.S. Territories to the customs territory of the United States have now been published in the Federal Register. The changes implement new procedures following the suspension of the federal de minimis exemption and may affect certain shipments from the CNMI, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Under the proposed process, mailers may be required to prepay applicable duties, taxes and fees before mailing items to the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. This is an issue I have been raising since the de minimis exemption was suspended. In November 2025, I and my fellow territorial delegates introduced the Territorial De Minimis Exemption Act, that would permanently restore de minimis treatment for shipments originating from the territories and help ensure that future nationwide trade policy changes do not inadvertently treat U.S. territories as though they were foreign countries. The Postal Service is accepting public comments on these regulations through August 31, 2026. I encourage individuals, businesses, and organizations in the Commonwealth to review the proposal and submit comments. As these regulations move forward under current law, I will continue to advocate for a permanent legislative solution that recognizes our unique states and that removes unnecessary burdens on commerce between the CNMI and the rest of the United States.