Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) celebrated U.S. President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Harper’s historic agreement declaring a shared responsibility for enhanced security and efficient access for the legitimate movement of people, goods, and services between the northern border.
“For quite some time we have urged changes at our border to increase the capacity, encourage predictability and otherwise facilitate a better flow of goods and people between our two nations,” said Congressman Higgins. “The specific attention to the Peace Bridge is welcome news for Western New York. Today’s recommendations provide long-awaited coordination that will lead to better security and great new opportunities between our shared economies.”
President Obama and Prime Minister Harper first announced plans for a “Beyond the Border” working group to develop a shared vision strategy in February. On July 14th Congressman Higgins wrote a letter to the President asking that he and Prime Minister Harper address three specific issues to advance the cross-border relationship.
Below are the three issues Higgins asked the leaders to address as it relates to the border between Western New York and Southern Ontario and the specific recommendations in the action plan that directly relate to each priority:
Prioritization of Border Infrastructure
- In the Action Plan, both the United States and Canada place a stated high priority on the Peace Bridge project in the coordination of future infrastructure investments at the Northern Border.
- The Peace Bridge Project will be a component of a 5-year infrastructure investment plan that will be updated annually by the two countries, measuring progress on goals to increase capacity at border crossings to facilitate the ease of traffic across the border.
- This represents the first time in recent memory that the two nations have agreed to formally coordinate infrastructure investments at the Northern Border, and to be held accountable to that coordination.
- The first coordinated infrastructure plan will be completed by June 30, 2012.
- There will also be an increased focus on protecting electrical grid, oil-and-gas pipelines, and air traffic control systems.
Movement of People
- Wait times at Northern Border crossings are erratic and act as a deterrent to increased economic activity. The Action Plan requires Customs and Border Protect and the Canadian Border Services Agency to establish a real time border wait time information system, beginning by June 30, 2012, and implemented over the next three years at the busiest border crossings to provide travelers with accurate information so they can plan accordingly. While such information already exists with efforts provided by bridge operators, this level of coordination is new and will be helpful to travelers and commuters.
- Aimed at decreasing wait times, increasing the use of RFID technology at the Peace Bridge Plaza in Ontario to promote the use of RFID-enabled documents like enhanced drivers licenses, passport cards, and NEXUS cards.
Movement of Goods
- The Action Plan calls for the implementation of a truck cargo facilitation pilot project at Northern Border crossings to ease wait times for commercial traffic. To begin in 2012, it will serve as the basis for reducing idle trucks at border crossings. The Peace Bridge Plaza would be a top contender for this pilot. (An effort Higgins pushed for in an October letter to the Department of Homeland Security and Customs & Border Protection).
- Recommendations also include integrating cargo security and screening to ensure compatibility for goods entering the U.S. and Canada from foreign ports, reducing duplication and encouraging cooperation.
- To reduce border congestion, it establishes targeted prescreening and preclearance capabilities for select companies that produce goods within either the United States or Canada and rely on cross border transport in the stream of commerce.
Congressman Higgins noted the historic agenda on the Floor of the House of Representatives. Below is the text of his remarks:
“Mister Speaker, Today the United States and Canadian governments will announce the “Beyond the Border” agreement to ease cross border trade and travel in this era of heightened security.
“I support this goal because in Western New York our future depends on integrating our economy with the booming region of Southern Ontario, by expanding the Peace Bridge that connects our two communities.
“The Peace Bridge is the busiest passenger crossing at the Northern Border. Passengers using the Bridge spend $133 million in Western New York annually in support of our retailers, sports franchises, airports, educational and cultural institutions.
“In Western New York Peace Bridge trade accounts for $9.1 billion in business sales, supporting 60,000 local jobs and generating $2.6 billion in household income and $233 million in local tax revenue.
“All of this economic activity depends on a Peace Bridge that is free of congestion. I applaud this agreement and call for a renewed federal focus on the northern border generally and the Peace Bridge specifically.”
(To access video click on link above or go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9olGfuk4lQ)
Higgins is a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and its subcommittees on Border and Maritime Security & Counterterrorism and Intelligence. As a representative of the Western New York community adjacent to Southern Ontario, he is particularly focused on northern border issues, serving as a member of the Northern Border Caucus and the U.S. Canada Interparlementary Exchange.
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