Bowling Green Today

Dr. Rand Paul’s legislation designating CVG as USFWS port of entry signed into law by President Biden

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On May 16, U.S. Senator Rand Paul’s (R-KY) amendment to streamline the layover of goods at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) was signed into law by President Biden. The amendment, included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3935), aims to add CVG to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) list of Designated Ports.

This designation allows CVG to directly process shipments of wildlife and wildlife-derived products, eliminating logistical issues, reducing costs, and creating job opportunities for Kentucky.

“Adding Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport as a Designated Port is a strategic move that enhances efficiency, reduces costs, creates jobs for Kentucky, and aligns it with the demands of global commerce,” said Dr. Paul. “My amendment is a win-win, not just for our Commonwealth but for the national economy.”

Candace McGraw, CEO of CVG, expressed gratitude towards Senator Paul: “For several years, Senator Paul has worked with us and DHL to grow cargo at CVG... I am grateful to Senator Paul for championing an amendment to designate CVG as a port of entry for fish and wildlife products.”

Andrew Williams, CEO for DHL Express Americas, commented on the benefits: “With this designation, we will see speedier processing times for customers, more efficient transportation, and a fundamentally safer process for inspection of regulated goods.”

Jamie Handley from Atlas Air Worldwide added: “Senator Paul’s contributions to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 will help ensure that northern Kentucky continues to be a dominant air cargo hub for years to come.”

Despite being ranked as the sixth busiest cargo airport in the United States in 2022 with over eight billion pounds of landed cargo, CVG faced inefficiencies due to couriers having to transport wildlife goods elsewhere for inspection by USFWS. The new law addresses this issue by allowing direct processing at CVG.

Additionally, the law includes a provision allowing USFWS to accept donations from private entities to support necessary changes at CVG.

###