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Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

Prior to 9/11, American citizens would cross into Canada and return without the need to carry a passport or other international travel document. As a result, trade and tourism between the U.S. and Canada has thrived. In 2006, trade between the United States and Canada totaled $533.7 billion in exports and imports. Canadian travelers spent a record $13.2 billion in the United States and American residents made 13.8 million overnight trips to Canada in 2006. The vast majority of this cross-border trade and travel entered the United States or Canada through a land port of entry. In total, Canadian trade supports at least 221,500 Michigan jobs.

In 2004, Congress passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA). This bill was designed to implement some of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, and it included some important homeland security reforms. However, IRTPA also included changes in our policy on cross-border travel that I believe were rushed into law without adequate consideration of their impact on America’s business, trade, and tourism. The most significant of these changes is the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).

WHTI will require anyone crossing the border to carry either a passport or other approved documentation. All Americans traveling by air between the United States, Canada, and Mexico are already required to present a passport. Beginning on June 1, 2009, all travelers who enter or depart the U.S. by land or sea will be required to present a valid passport or other approved documentation. Currently, Americans must present both a government issued photo ID, such as a drivers’ license, and proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, at land and sea ports of entry.

There are numerous problems with these requirements. The land and sea requirements will significantly interfere with existing cross-border trade and tourism due to extended wait times at border crossings and additional compliance requirements. American businesses and communities could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in trade and tourism revenue.

In addition, the passport requirement will place new financial burdens on all Americans. The fee for a passport is $100 fee for adults and $85 for children under 16 years of age. With only about 25 percent of American’s currently holding a passport, WHTI will mean billions of dollars in fees for American travelers. A less expensive alternative, the Passport Card, is still under development and may not be ready for use by June 2009.

Along with colleagues from both parties, I have been working to reform WHTI, so that we can secure our border without damaging the trade and travel that support millions of American jobs. Recognizing that the Departments of Homeland Security and State are not ready to fully implement WHTI, Congress postponed the full implementation until June 1, 2009 in the Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus Spending bill. This law also withholds $75 million until the Department of Homeland Security reports on the outcome of pilot projects, technology trials, and staffing needs.

Even with this postponement, I fear that the Departments of Homeland Security and State will likely still not be prepared to implement this major initiative. That is why I believe it is time to stop WHTI all together. On November 14, 2007, I introduced legislation to repeal the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. While I support taking every reasonable step to prevent terrorism, implementing such a restrictive travel program will do more harm than good by significantly limiting America’s trade and tourism with Canada and Mexico.

H.R. 4186 is currently under review in the House Committee on Homeland Security. Please know, I will continue to push for its passage.