Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The United States and Mexico share a 1,933 mile border and the United States and Canada share a 5,525 mile border. (2)Canada and Mexico are the United States’ most important trading partners. In 2006, trade between the United States and Canada totaled $533,700,000,000 in exports and imports, while trade between the United States and Mexico reached $331,300,000,000. Much of this day-to-day trade consists of intra-company shipments. (3)Canadian travelers spent a record $13,200,000,000 in the United States in 2006. During this same time period, United States residents made 13,800,000 overnight trips to Canada and took an additional 13,700,000 same-day car trips to Canada. The vast majority of these travelers entered the United States or Canada through a land port of entry. (4)Studies estimate that the cost of delays and compliance requirements at the border could range from $7,500,000,000 to $13,200,000,000 annually. (5)Only 21 percent of United States citizens hold passports. (6)Since the implementation of the air regulations component of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, wait times for obtaining a passport have gone from four to six weeks to as much as 14 weeks. The Department of State cannot keep up with passport demands despite hiring more employees, opening an additional regional office, and increasing working hours. (7)The United States is working in concert with the Government of Canada and the Government of Mexico to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across the shared borders. (8)Since September 11, 2001, the primary mission of United States Customs and Border Protection has been to prevent the entry into the United States of terrorists and the instruments of terrorism. (9)The number of Border Patrol agents has roughly doubled in size since President George W. Bush took office. The Border Patrol currently employs 14,819 officers and an additional 3,000 officers will likely join the force during the 2008 fiscal year. (10)On October 30, 2001, the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force was created to provide Federal law enforcement agencies with the best possible information to prevent foreign terrorists and their supporters from entering the United States. (11)The Terrorism Screening Center was established in 2004 to consolidate all Federal terrorist watch lists into one database to help Federal law enforcement agencies identify, screen, and track known and suspected terrorists. (12)Law enforcement agencies use advanced technology, such as sensors, mobile night vision scopes, remote video surveillance systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles, to increase their presence on the United States border. (13)Studies by the Canadian Tourism Commission and other groups have suggested that United States businesses and communities stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars if the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requirements significantly interfere with existing trade and tourism.