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The opinions of individual BTA Border Blog contributors don't necessarily reflect the editorial position of Border Trade Alliance as a whole.

Category Archives: Legislation

Federal Border Legislation Discussions and Alerts - Border Blog

BTA Welcomes Legislation to Study Wait-times - Urges Swift Passage

The Border Trade Alliance (BTA), a leading trade organization, issued its strong support for legislation introduced earlier in December by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Congressman Ciro D. Rodriguez (D-TX) to study the impact of growing wait-times at land border crossings along the U.S. border with Canada and Mexico.
In late August, the BTA […]

Senate Approves $3 Billion for Border Security & Border Fence

Last week as part of the FY08 Defense Appropriations bill, the Senate adopted an amendment by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to provide $3 billion in emergency spending for more border agents, completion of 700 miles of fencing along the southwest border, and procurement of cameras, ground-based radar and vehicle barriers. Senator Graham’s amendment passed […]

BTA Grassroots Campaign on Border Wait Times

The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) wishes to alert you to a situation occurring at our land ports-of-entry that is having a serious, negative economic impact at the border and our nation. Recently Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents began checking and manually entering driver’s license information for a majority of drivers entering the […]

BTA Disappointed in Senate Action to Delay Cross-Border Trucking Program

The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) today expressed its disappointment in the passage of Senate Amendment 2797 to H.R. 3074, the FY2008 Appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and related agencies. The amendment, proposed by Senator Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND), prohibits the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from continuing a […]

BTA Opposes Senate Amendment to Delay Cross-Border Trucking Program

The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) today voiced its opposition to Senate Amendment 2797 to H.R. 3074, the FY2008 Appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and related agencies. The amendment, proposed by Senator Byron L. Dorgan, would prohibit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from continuing a pilot program to […]

Congress to Adjourn for August Recess

Pending the completion of floor action on several pending measures, the House and Senate are expected to adjourn until September 4th. The Senate is considering a series of Pro Forma sessions during the August recess to prevent any recess appointments from being made by President Bush. However, this effort led by Senate Democrats may […]

BTA Testifies at U.S. House Committee Hearing on Balancing Security and Commerce

On July 26th, 2007. 2:00PM EDT (WASHINGTON, D.C.) Maria Luisa O’Connell, President of the Border Trade Alliance (BTA), testified today before the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism at a hearing entitled, “Frequent Traveler Programs: Balancing Security and Commerce at our Land Borders.”
A written transcript and recorded video […]

BTA Congressional Update

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 […]

Immigration Reform: Shotguns and Clay Pigeons

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 […]

WHTI: Confusion and Concern

BTA apprehensive of yet another ambiguous phase.
The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) is concerned that the June 20th’s announcement that the Department of State (DOS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have revised their intended time frame to implement the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) for land and sea ports of entry. Last year Congress […]

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