[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 88 (Thursday, May 25, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S7530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SENATE RESOLUTION 127--RELATIVE TO BORDER CROSSING FEES

  Ms. SNOWE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 127

       Whereas in the budget of the United States for fiscal year 
     1996 that was submitted to Congress, the President proposed 
     to impose and collect a boarder crossing fee for individuals 
     and vehicles entering the United States;
       Whereas both the Canadian and Mexican governments have 
     expressed opposition to the imposition and collection of such 
     a fee and have raised the possibility of imposing retaliatory 
     border crossing fees of their own;
       Whereas the imposition and collection of such a fee would 
     have adverse effects on tourism and commerce that depend on 
     travel across the borders of the United States;
       Whereas the imposition and collection of such a fee would 
     have such effects without addressing illegal immigration in a 
     meaningful way;
       Whereas on February 22, 1995, the President modified his 
     proposal making the imposition of the new fees voluntary on 
     United States border States (but tied the availability of 
     Federal funds to improve border crossing infrastructure on 
     their willingness to impose such fees); and
       Whereas on May 4, 1995, the President further modified the 
     border crossing fee proposal in immigration control 
     legislation he submitted to Congress setting a $1.50 per car 
     and $.75 per pedestrian fee structure: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 
     United States Government should not impose or collect a 
     border crossing fee along its borders with Canada and Mexico.
     

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