Here's a great article by Travel and Leisure Magazine about the customs form changes that may impact international travelers.
Lucille Cirillo, CBP regarding the new customs agency and post 9/11 concerns:
"customs concerns shifted from restricting the illegal flow of goods to safeguarding our national borders against terrorist threats."
The U.S. flat duty rate, applied to the first $1,000 of imported goods beyond the standard exemption, is now only 3%. So ... if you were used to higher import duties on some items check to see if you now can import them at the lower rates.