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Author Archives: Director of Policy


Secure Freight: Challenges to balancing commerce and security

Published by Director of Policy.
August 2, 2007 – 3:19 pm in Border Tech, Import & Export 0 Comments

Last week Congress approved legislation adopting the recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission. Included in the security measure is a requirement for all cargo bound for the United States to be screened for nuclear material prior to being loaded upon ships in foreign ports. Since 2003, all ships destined for the United States are […]

BTA Congressional Update

Published by Director of Policy.
July 16, 2007 – 3:26 pm in Legislation 0 Comments

The House and Senate continue to work to complete the FY08 appropriations bills. The House next week will continue work on the $660 billion Labor, Health and Human Services, Education bill and is also expected to complete the $31.6 billion Energy-Water spending bill that had been held up due to concerns over earmarks. The […]

BTA Comments on US-DOT Pilot Program

Published by Director of Policy.
July 11, 2007 – 4:32 pm in Advocacy, Import & Export 0 Comments

The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) submitted the following comments on the recent Federal Register Notice by the U.S. Department of Transpiration (DOT) regarding its pilot program granting a limited number of Mexican trucks access to U.S. roadways. In March, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters addressed the proposed pilot program at the BTA Conference […]

Outside the Box - At Least Outside the Security Line…

Published by Director of Policy.
June 29, 2007 – 9:47 pm in Border Tech, Travel & Immigration 0 Comments

What will the future of travel and commerce at our ports of entry and at our borders look like? It could look similar to what has evolved as part of the Travel Security Administration’s (TSA) Registered Traveler program. The vast realm of new security requirements that evolved as a result of 9/11 have produced […]

Immigration Reform: Shotguns and Clay Pigeons

Published by Director of Policy.
June 26, 2007 – 9:05 pm in Infrastructure, Legislation, Travel & Immigration 0 Comments

Today by a vote of 64-35 the Senate agreed to limit debate on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform measure. The move leaves 30 hours of debate to consider nearly two-dozen amendments pending to the legislation. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in concert with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have agreed to pare down […]

Immigration Reform and Border Security – Chicken or the Egg?

Published by Director of Policy.
June 18, 2007 – 9:40 pm in Infrastructure, Legislation, Border Tech, Travel & Immigration 2 Comments

Having pressed his case directly to Republican Senators, President Bush and the White House are proposing additional dollars toward border security in an attempt to gain traction with Senators opposed to immigration reform. The announcement by the Administration illustrates both its commitment toward immigration reform and its worry that without such a commitment […]

Fencing in Immigration Reform

Published by Director of Policy.
June 13, 2007 – 5:54 pm in Advocacy, Legislation, BTA in the News 2 Comments

The following editorial appeared in: Rio Grande Guardian on June 8th, 2007
The current national debate over immigration reform and the ongoing regional debate over the construction of a fence along the southwestern U.S. border with Mexico has centered on the single issue of the security of our borders.
For years U.S. policy toward dealing with […]

Travel Initiative Overwhelms Feds

Published by Director of Policy.
June 12, 2007 – 2:35 pm in Advocacy, Travel & Immigration 0 Comments

Last Friday, the Departments of State (DOS) and Homeland Security (DHS) announced a reprieve from the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative for air travelers flying from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean. After repeated assurances that the new passport requirement would be readily implemented by January 1, 2008 at land and sea […]

BTA Border News Roundup: Border Trade Record High, Mexico’s Economy, Canada Border Costs

Published by Director of Policy.
June 6, 2007 – 2:30 pm in Border News 0 Comments

Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Reached a Monthly Record High in March 2007
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 2.3 percent higher in March 2007 than in March 2006, reaching $69.8 billion, the highest monthly […]

The Border Fence, Immigration Reform, and One Guy with Tuberculosis

Published by Director of Policy.
June 5, 2007 – 3:41 pm in Advocacy, Infrastructure, Legislation, Border Tech, Travel & Immigration 1 Comment

Sounds like the opening line from that poor attempt of a joke told to you by your brother-in-law over the barbeque during Memorial Day. However, the border fence, immigration reform and the case of the Atlanta lawyer with TB have more in common than you think - and it’s not a joke.
The Senate is […]

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