[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19106]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      BEYOND THE BORDER AGREEMENT

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, today the United States and Canadian 
Governments will announce a Beyond the Border agreement to ease 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 economy 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 impacts $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, one that is safe, reliable, and predictable.
  I applaud the efforts of this agreement and call on a renewed Federal 
focus on the northern border, generally, and the Peace Bridge, 
specifically.

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