Last week the BTA sent House Members a letter opposing an amendment offered by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) to the FY08 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The amendment would prohibit the development of the alternative passport documents or PASS Card and the use of other secured traveler documents, such as FAST and SENTRI cards, […]
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 the […]
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 ports […]
Last week, BTA President Maria Luisa O’Connell attended a forum on the border fence sponsored by the Texas Border Coalition. At the meeting various stakeholders including farmers and ranchers, landowners, border communities and environmentalists met to discuss the construction of the border fence by the Department of Homeland Security. David Aguilar, Chief of the Border […]
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 currently […]
Matt Howe, Director of Public Policy, will attend CBP’s Trade Support Network plenary session in Baltimore, MD on June 20-21. Matt will represent the BTA, which is a member of CBP’s Trade Support Network. The meetings in Baltimore will focus on ACE e-manifest implementation and other policy issues. If you are interested in this event […]
In the span of one week Congress put to rest one contentious issue, Mexican trucks, and began debate on another, immigration reform.
Last week President Bush signed the Emergency Iraq and Hurricane Supplemental Appropriations into law. Enacted as part of this legislation were several restrictions on the proposed U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) pilot program to […]
Late Monday Senate leadership announced that it would extend the time for debate on the comprehensive immigration reform bill into June. The announcement came as the Senate moved to bring up the legislation on Monday. The extended time for debate acknowledges that reaching a compromise within the Senate will be no easy feat as […]
This week the House approved legislation that would delay U.S. Department of Transportation’s pilot program granting access to U.S. roadways to Mexican carriers. Only three Congressmen, Representatives Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX) opposed the legislation sponsored by Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-KS). The measure would restrict the program to 100 Mexican […]
Last week, the House passed several amendments to H.R. 1684, the FY08 Department of Homeland Security Authorization bill, which would affect the implementation of WHTI at land and sea ports of entry. The amendments were derived from legislation introduced by Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY), the Protecting American Commerce and Travel Act, H.R. 1061.
The House-passed legislation […]
