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The Border Challenge

The Border Challenge. TBD BTA October 26, 2007 Montreal, Quebec Canada. Outline. About the BTA Before and After 9/11 Crossing the border Economic Development along the border Transportation The role of Washington What can we do to influence. About the BTA.

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The Border Challenge

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  1. The Border Challenge • TBD • BTA • October 26, 2007 • Montreal, Quebec • Canada

  2. Outline • About the BTA • Before and After 9/11 • Crossing the border • Economic Development along the border • Transportation • The role of Washington • What can we do to influence

  3. About the BTA • Advocate for trade between US, Canada and Mexico for over 20 years. • Three-prong approach • Represent over 1.8 million people • Credibility • Participation in Secure Borders and Open Doors Advisory committee to DHS and DOS • Provide testimony at Congressional hearings.

  4. Before and After 9/11 • Personnel, resources and expectations • Different relationship among the three countries • Change of expectations • Challenge: security vs. economic competitiveness • Risk assessment

  5. Crossing the border • Documents • Programs: FAST, ACE/emanifest, SENTRI/NEXUS, WHTI, US VISIT, etc. • Infrastructure • Inspections • Border Fence • Next...

  6. Nogales • E-manifest system went down • BIG Parking Lot • “Just-in-time” delivery? • Communication • Thousands of dollars wasted

  7. NAFTA Trucking • Pilot Project • Safety, Security and documents • Mexican government has to provide requirements • Immigration • The debate

  8. Importance of Trade • Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 8.9 percent higher in 2006 than in 2005, reaching $760 billion. • In 2006, over 6.6 million trucks and over 30 million personal vehicles crossed the U.S.-Canada border. • Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics • http://www.transtats.bts.gov/bordercrossing.aspx

  9. Importance of Trade • Canada is the largest market for U.S. goods exported from U.S. states contiguous to the northern border. • Canada remains the largest trading partner with the United States. Trade with Canada accounts for more than 18 percent of total U.S. trade (exports and imports) globally. • As of Aug. 07, Canada has a year-to-date trade surplus of more than $45 billion on exports of more than $206 billion with the U.S. • Source: Foreign Trade Statistics - U.S. Census Bureau • http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/top/index.html#top_partners

  10. H.R. 3610Food & Drug Import Safety Act • Introduced by Rep. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee • Establishes fees on imports of food and drugs to support FDA inspection activities; • Limits food imports to only 13 U.S. ports of entry - only Detroit on U.S. - CA border, no ports on U.S-MX border. • BTA is working with other organizations and Congressional offices to advocate against this legislation and to promote more realistic alternatives - additional funds for FDA, mobile inspection labs, etc.

  11. Travel pre-WHTI • 4 million U.S. citizens traveled to Canada and Mexico by air or sea; • 2 million traveled to the Caribbean; • Small number of U.S. citizens are repeat, daily crossers; 18 percent of the crossings; • 2 percent of border travelers = 48 percent of the total annual crossings. • Source: Bearing Point Inc. survey for U.S. Dept. of State

  12. Travel pre-WHTI • 23 million U.S. citizens cross nearly 130 million times each year by land into Canada and Mexico • One-half are frequent crossers, making the trip at least once a year. • Source: Bearing Point Inc. survey for U.S. Dept. of State

  13. Impact • “Looking at these 23 million land border crossers from a document perspective, only 40 percent report that they possess a U.S. passport. Nearly 33 percent, or a little over 8 million of them, reported that they would seek a U.S. passport within a year to fulfill WHTI documentary requirements.” • Testimony of Mr. Frank Moss, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State to U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee • December 2, 2005

  14. Impact • Current backlog of two or more months for 500,000 passport applications • Implementation of WHTI at land crossing will add at least 8 million additional applications to the current backlog • DOS survey: 6 million U.S. citizens who currently travel to Canada or Mexico would not apply for passports within a year of implementing WHTI at land ports of entry.

  15. The role of Washington • Congress • Federal Agencies • Expectations • Program assessment • The role of border states

  16. Latest challenges • Manual entry of driver’s license by CBP officers • Increased wait times at the ports of entry • Starting January 30, 2008 US citizens have to show two forms of ID: driver’s license and birth certificate

  17. Advocacy in Action • BTA letter to Secretary Chertoff Driver’s licenses not secure, do not prove citizenship • Recommendations: • End practice and focus on communicating document requirements; • Evaluate secure traveler programs, leverage best practices.

  18. What can be done? • Stay informed • Write to your representative

  19. WWW.THEBTA.ORG

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