[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 151 (Friday, October 24, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S13206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            BORDER CROSSING

  Ms. COLLINS. I would like to thank the managers of the bill for their 
leadership on this important legislation, and I greatly appreciate 
their efforts to improve our Nation's transportation infrastructure.
  Mr. SHELBY. I appreciate the Senator's support, and I thank her for 
her leadership.
  Ms. COLLINS. I would like to make my colleagues aware of a project of 
great importance, not just to my constituents in Maine, but to the rest 
of the country as well. The existing border crossing connecting Calais, 
ME to St. Stephen, New Brunswick is heavily congested and therefore 
causes significant traffic delays and creates serious security concerns 
for U.S. and Canadian travelers and cross-border commerce. The current 
crossing is the eighth busiest commercial crossing on the Canadian 
border and has seen truck traffic double over the last 10 years. Since 
199 the Maine Department of Transportation, along with the Federal 
Highway Administration and the General Services Administration, has 
engaged in a comprehensive National Environmental Policy Act, NEPA, 
process to determine the location for a new, modern, efficient border 
crossing. As part of the overall project, the General Services 
Administration is responsible for designing and constructing a new 
border station. The Canadian Customs and Revenue Agency, CCRA, will be 
responsible for the design and construction of the border station on 
the Canadian side of the river. The Maine Department of Transportation 
and New Brunswick Department of Transportation, and the Canadian 
Customs and Revenue Agency have funding in place for their portions of 
the design. Therefore, it is crucial that funding for the GSA portion 
of the project be appropriated so that design and construction work can 
begin as soon as possible. I would ask that the Senator from Alabama 
work with me to ensure that this project moves forward as quickly as 
possible. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.
  Mr. SHELBY. I acknowledge the Senator's request, and I pledge to work 
with her on this matter.

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