[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 19 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E249-E250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     IS THE INS MAKING CRIMINALS OUT OF BOATERS ON THE GREAT LAKES?

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. STEVE C. LaTOURETTE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 13, 1997

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
correct what are well intentioned, but misguided efforts by the United 
States Immigration Service to protect our northern border against 
United States citizens who seek to reenter their own country after a 
recreational boating trip to Canada.
  In what appears to be a federally sanctioned game of waterway 
robbery, the Immigration Service is willing to forego its legal 
obligation to inspect all vessels returning to a United States port 
from Canada, if boaters are willing to pay a $16 per-person per-year 
fee to purchase what is known as the I-68 Canadian border boat landing 
permit. The I-68 permit program was established in 1963 but was not 
implemented nationally until a few years ago when Congress directed 
Federal agencies to begin charging a fee for some Federal programs. I 
have no problem with the fee-for-service approach, but where is the 
service? The I-68 program would have the boating public paying the INS 
for the convenience of not inspecting their boats. Its difficult to see 
how this approach would stem the tide of illegal immigration from 
Canada on recreational boats, a problem that is not well documented by 
the INS--if it exists at all. We do know, however, that the number of 
United States

[[Page E250]]

boaters visiting Canada from the Great Lakes Region fell 15 percent in 
the 1996 boating season to just under 40,000. This translates to a loss 
of over $2 million in destination spending on the Canadian side and it 
can be assumed that similar losses were felt on the United States side.
  It is unfortunate that the recreational boating community has been on 
the receiving end of some bad Government programs in recent years. We 
all remember the ill-conceived boat luxury tax, the FCC radio license 
fee and, most recently, the marine diesel fuel tax. Fortunately, all of 
these programs have been repealed by Congress as detrimental to boater 
safety and the recreational boating economy. However, once again, we 
are making it harder and more expensive for law-abiding boaters to 
enjoy their chosen form of recreation.
  I must confess that with all the complex issues to address during my 
first term in Congress, somehow the news of illegal immigrants cruising 
across the Great Lakes in power and sailboats got by me. Ever mindful 
of the problems experienced on our southern borders and with images of 
illegal aliens coming into Florida, California, and Texas burned into 
my memory. I rushed down to one of the many marinas in my congressional 
district, the Ashtabula Yacht Club. That Sunday afternoon was a sight 
to behold. Sure enough I witnessed 40 some sailboats boldly entering 
the harbor.
  At this point the threat became clear to me. Men, women, and children 
of United States and Canadian descent docked their sailboats and came 
ashore illegally. They were barely clothed, sunburned, and the worst 
among them were telling lies.
  While I expected the illegal aliens to soon depart to taste freedom 
in the interior of our great country--they did not. In fact, the next 
morning I watched as all of the Canadian boats returned to Port 
Stanley, ON. Soon after, I spoke to the Commodore of the Yacht Club to 
see how long this problem has been going on. He informed me that it was 
the 25th year of the Lake Erie International Sailboat Race between 
Ashtabula, OH and Port Stanley, ON, and that he hoped to expect the 
same type of trouble next season. I use this example to illustrate that 
things are not always as they appear. The cash registers of our local 
harbor district depend on this annual visit from our Canadian friends 
to help one of our most promising growth industries--recreational 
boating.
  Mr. Speaker, my bill would not eliminate the I-68 program, but would 
simply allow recreational boaters the option of using their U.S. 
passport in lieu of the I-68 permit in order to reenter the United 
States after returning from Canadian shores. It seems to me that if a 
U.S. passport is good enough for all other international travel 
purposes, that boaters traveling between two friendly countries should 
also be afforded this option.
  I would like to thank Representative Stupak and my colleague from 
Ohio, Representative Traficant for being original cosponsors of this 
simple yet important piece of legislation. I look forward to 
enthusiastic support from all Members of Congress bordering the Great 
Lakes.

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