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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.

Oct 26

CBP Creates Electronic Reading Room to Increase Public Access to Documents

Published by Policy.
in Advocacy, Border Tech, Import & Export, Press Releases. 0 Comments

CBP Creates Electronic Reading Room to Increase Public Access to Documents

(Friday, October 23, 2009)
contacts for this news release <http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/10232009_2.xml#contacts#contacts>

Washington - U.S. Customs and Border Protection today launched improvements in Web-based technology designed to increase public access to agency records and documents.

The upgraded CBP Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room will feature records and documents formerly only available through FOIA request. Documents and records responding to certain FOIA requests are now available at foia.cbp.gov. ( FOIA Reading Room <http://foia.cbp.gov/> )

“CBP is striving to boost agency transparency and accountability, while promoting efficiency and effectiveness through the use of technology,” said Acting Commissioner Jayson P. Ahern. “We hope the public will visit the Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room for the most direct access to information and to avoid the need to go through the FOIA request process.”

The border security agency follows FOIA requirements and makes four distinct categories of records available for public inspection and copying. Consequently, documents featured in the FOIA Electronic Reading Room will consist of final opinions and orders rendered in the adjudication of administrative cases; specific agency policy statements; certain administrative staff manuals; and various records disclosed in response to a FOIA request.

The CBP FOIA Division launched the upgraded Reading Room to proactively share information that includes policies and procedures, awarded contracts and grants, manuals and instructions, final opinions, common FOIA requests, and logs of FOIA requests received by the agency.

For more information on CBP and the FOIA Electronic Reading Room, visit the CBP Web site.

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Jul 01

BTA Pressing for Border Priorities in Federal Spending Bill

Published by PR.
in Advocacy, Infrastructure, Legislation. 2 Comments
111th-congress, Border Infrastrucutre, WHTI, economic-stimulus, Border Trade Alliance, border security, DHS, GSA, CBP

 

Border Trade Alliance Urges Congressional Attention to Continued Underfunding of Aged Land Ports and Border Security Initiatives

Washington D.C. July 1, 2009 - Today, Border Trade Alliance (BTA) pressed the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to ensure secure trade and travel at our borders is made a priority, in-line with the $830 billion in annual economic activity it generates, in upcoming federal spending bills.

Currently, the House and Senate versions of the FY10 DHS Appropriations bill are absent funding for critical land port infrastructure upgrades and may fail to match the President’s budget request for previously mandated border security initiatives. This combination of budgetary shortfalls threatens to undermine the secure movement of more than 45.7 million pedestrians, 10.7 million commercial trucks, and 107.5 million personal vehicles - to a sum of over 3/4 of a trillion in economic activity at our land borders. In 2008, Michigan alone handled nearly $67 billion in surface trade with Canada.

Most U.S. land ports were built half a century or more ago without the adequate infrastructure to handle the tremendous growth in trade and implementation of the many layers of security now in place at all U.S. land ports of entry. BTA is urging Congress to address the continued need for more capacity on our bridges, more cargo and passenger lanes at our land ports of entry, and a greater number of staffed inspection booths to securely and efficiently facilitate the tremendous volume of trade and travel at our ports.

“Clearly, with studies showing that U.S-Mexico cross-border delays cost $716 million in output losses and 3,600 jobs in labor losses in California alone, solutions to these problems would pay for themselves.”, said BTA President Maria Luisa O’Connell. “Our border states, and the nation at large, should not have to continue to bare the burdens of the historic underfunding of our land ports.”
Read More →

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Jun 09

Secretary Napolitano Appoints BTA to DHS HSAC Southwest Border Task Force

Published by PR.
in Advocacy, Import & Export. 0 Comments
SBTF

 

Select Group of Border & Security Experts Will Advise Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Napolitano, & Obama Administration on U.S. - Mexico Border Operations

Border Trade Alliance is pleased to announce the appointment of President Maria Luisa O’Connell, as well as BTA Board Member Pancho Kinney, to the newly formed Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) Southwest Border Task Force, a diverse group of national security experts charged with examining the DHS’s efforts along the U.S.-Mexico border and providing advice and recommendations directly to Secretary Napolitano.

At its inaugural meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 4, 2009, DHS Secretary Napolitano said the Southwest Border Task Force, “…comprised of law enforcement, elected officials and national security experts from around the country, will advise the Department on key issues facing communities along the Southwest border,” said Secretary Napolitano. “I have asked this group to present me with concrete recommendations to address the complex challenges we face in this region, and their collective expertise will be a critical asset as we work to secure the border while facilitating legal travel and trade.”

The new task force underscores DHS’ emphasis on Southwest border security in response to ongoing drug cartel violence in Mexico. Secretary Napolitano asked the 20-member group to focus on two major challenges: ensuring rigorous inspections processes at ports of entry while facilitating commerce; and assessing the practical consequences of border violence and DHS’ response to communities along the Southwest border.

BTA will be working with it’s members and border stakeholders to provide accurate information, feedback, and expertise that reflect the realities at our our borders, to support any recommendations put before the task force.  Read More →

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Jun 03

U.S. Border Ports Division Eliminated Prior to Obama’s GSA Administrator Confirmation Tomorrow

Published by Director of Policy.
in Advocacy, Infrastructure. 0 Comments
GSA Land ports
US-Border Land Port Congestion
Border Trade Alliance Urges Nominee to Outline Plans to Ensure GSA Addresses Critical Border Ports Infrastructure Upgrades

Washington D.C. - Border Trade Alliance (BTA) strongly urges Ms. Martha N. Johnson, President Obama’s nominee to head the General Services Administration (GSA) to outline her intention to lead GSA in upgrading land border infrastructure during her June 3rd confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.  Last week, border communities and businesses were shocked by the GSA decision to eliminate their Land Port of Entry Division, the division responsible for U.S. border land ports.

In 2008, U.S. border land ports were responsible for facilitating more than $830 billion in cross-border trade and processed 45.7 million pedestrians, more than 10.7 million trucks and more than 107.5 million personal vehicles.  The sustained growth of North American land border trade is limited by overburdened and outdated infrastructure at U.S. land ports, most of which were built forty years ago and not designed to handle the volume of trade or the current security procedures conducted at our borders.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided GSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with $720 million for land port infrastructure upgrades.  However, the majority of the projects funded by GSA and CBP were at ports of entry with low crossing volumes, continuing the ongoing need for additional federal investment in infrastructure at our nation’s busiest ports.

BTA calls upon Ms. Johnson to respond to the following concerns during her confirmation testimony: Read More →

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Jun 01

BTA Launches TWHTI - Twitter Western Hemispher Travel Initiative

Published by PR.
in Advocacy, Travel & Immigration, Press Releases. 1 Comment

TWHTI Image

BTA urges border stakeholders to share their experiences throughout the first months of WHTI via Twitter - Yep it’s Called TWHTI!

On June 1st, 2009, the first day of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) full implementation, Border Trade Alliance (BTA), is asking U.S. and Canadian citizens to use Twitter to post their cross-border travel experiences with WHTI to collect feedback on the program at land ports throughout North America.

The project, called TWHTI (pronounced twittee) Twitter the Western Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, will use the free social-media tool, Twitter, to increase public awareness and record real-world experiences during the first months of the implementation of the largest secure traveler program in U.S. history.

TWHTI is an landmark international opportunity to employ social networking to provide other travelers with helpful information, while raising public awareness of WHTI requirements. Utilizing the mobile, real-time and archival aspects of Twitter to automatically compile updates from people on the ground at our border ports of entry will allow the U.S. Federal Government agencies responsible for the intiative - Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Dept. of State (DOS) - to access feedback/data for use in identifying successes and problems.

Anyone can partiipate in TWHTI, all you need is a Twitter account.  BTA is looking for people on the ground at our border ports of entry, to post: #WHTI, along with the location and experience.  Posts should be constructive, focused on getting documentation, general cross-border experience, wait-times at the port, technology, or economic impacts. To see the archive of TWHTI posts, just search for #WHTI in Twitter’s search to see the experiences and connect with other travelers. Read More →

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May 26

BTA Testifies Before U.S. Senate Immigration Subcommittee on What Remains in Securing the Border

Published by Policy.
in Legislation, Border Tech, Travel & Immigration. 0 Comments

Sam Vale Testimony Photo

 

BTA Urges Greater Investment in Border Infrastructure and Resources, in Conjunction With Immigration Reform Efforts to Secure Border

Washington D.C. - On May 20th, Border Trade Alliance (BTA) founding board member, Samuel F. Vale provided testimony, on the behalf of the BTA, before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security hearing “Securing the Borders and America’s Points of Entry, What Remains to Be Done“. As the owner/operator of the Starr Camargo Bridge and President of Telemundo 40, in Rio Grande, TX, Mr. Vale joined fellow BTA member Mayor Chad Foster of Eagle Pass and leaders from CBP and ICE, to provide recommendations on security at our land borders and ports of entry.

The movement of goods and people at our borders generates 2 billion dollars a day in economic activity. In order to better ensure our economic and physical security, BTA testified that the Federal government must do more to address the decades old backlog in our Immigration Codes, while providing more adequate annual infrastructure and resource investments at U.S. land ports of entry.

Today, a majority of U.S. land ports are overburdened by the combination of vast federal security operations with massive increases in cross-border trade and travel volumes at U.S. border crossings. President Obama’s plans to successfully achieve comprehensive immigration reform hinge on the government’s ability to improve the secure and efficient facilitation of legitimate trade and travel at our nations borders.

The following is BTA’s written testimony submitted to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security on May 20th:  Read More →

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May 08

“A New Border Security Framework” Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) Keynote at BTA Event DC

Published by Events.
in Advocacy, Infrastructure, Legislation. 0 Comments

Senator Bingaman

Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and of the Senate Finance Committee, which has oversight of U.S. national trade policy addressed the Border Trade Alliance (BTA) International Conference and Congressional Briefing, “New Administration, New Border Policy”, in Washington DC, April 20 & 21, 2009.  In his keynote presentation titled, “A New Border Security Framework”, Senator Bingaman addressed legislation geared toward U.S southbound exit inspections at the U.S. - Mexico border to stem the flow of guns into Mexico. He also discussed the need to improve border infrastructure, as well as legislation that may be introduced to put seized assets to work in increasing border infrastructure and resources.

View the video presentation in full or read the transcript below:

 ”A NEW BORDER SECURITY FRAMEWORK”

Washington D.C., April 20, 2009 -[Thank you; Erin Ward, Chair of the BTA Board of Directors]

It is a pleasure to be here with you at the Border Trade Alliance’s conference on border policy.   As a senator from a border state, I know the importance of these issues and I appreciate the work you are doing in border communities.  Your knowledge and expertise regarding how border issues impact our country, both in terms of our economic prosperity and our national security, is very helpful. Read More →

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Apr 02

GSA Plans $300m in Border Port Upgrades Aid Secure Trade

Published by Policy.
in Advocacy, Infrastructure, Press Releases. 0 Comments

Border ports photo for GSA post

 

Federal stimulus funds move towards addressing critical border port upgrades, but more long-term investment is needed to address increasing trade and security demands at the border.

Yesterday, the General Services Administration (GSA) submitted details to the U.S. Congress, on a proposed plan for border land port infrastructure spending, as approved under the recently enacted economic stimulus measure, H.R. 1 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  GSA was appropriated $300 million and the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was allotted $420 million toward land port infrastructure upgrades as part of H.R. 1.

Border Trade Alliance (BTA) pressed Congress last year to include federal funding for land border crossing upgrades and resources to support the hundreds of thousands of jobs that depend on the $830 billion in cross-border economic activity conducted at U.S. shared borders with Canada and Mexico.  While the BTA is pleased that the U.S. Congress appropriated $720 million for border ports to GSA and CBP in the economic stimulus, a commitment to sustained investment in upgrading the U.S.’s decades-old, overburdened ports is essential to future economic growth and security.

The majority of U.S. border crossings were not designed to handle the volume of trade that has resulted with the success of the North American Free Trade Agreement or the increased security operations that have been brought online since 2001.  While the economic downturn has reduced the volume of crossings at many U.S. land ports, the value of cross-border North American trade last year rose to a record $830 billion, due largely to growth in U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico.
“The BTA appreciates that Congress and the Administration approved $720 million in the stimulus bill for much-needed border crossing infrastructure upgrades,” notes Erin Martin Ward, Chair of the BTA, “We need continued leadership at the federal level to ensure that the tremendous growth in NAFTA trade and the economic activity it has generated can be sustained.  Canada and Mexico are the U.S.’s largest two export markets and we cannot afford to overlook the additional funding needed to upgrade our land ports to facilitate their critical contribution to our national economy and our security.”

GSA’s announced plan for spending the $300 million include funding for the following port infrastructure projects ($1,000s USD): Read More →

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Feb 16

$720m in Border Trade Infrastructure Funding in Economic Stimulus Bill

Published by Policy.
in Advocacy, Legislation. 2 Comments
Port Congestion Photo
Photo: Arizona Border Infrastructure Project
New Federal Attention in Addressing Trade and Travel Bottlenecks Will Help Support Millions of Jobs

In a move that will provide wide spread economic benefits by preparing our nation’s ports to meet the trade and security demands of the 21st century, the House and Senate included $720 million for infrastructure upgrades at U.S. land border ports of entry in the final conference agreement on the economic stimulus bill.

Border Trade Alliance, the organization that led the successful bi-partisan congressional effort to include border infrastructure funding in the stimulus, applauds congress for taking an important step in addressing the historic underinvestment at our nation’s port of entry.

According to President Obama and Speaker Pelosi, the key measurement for success of the economic stimulus is creating or saving 4 million jobs in the next year. Updating border ports infrastructure will not only help sustain jobs - 7.1 million jobs are generated by U.S.-Canadian trade alone - but will help to mitigate massive output losses resulting from nation-wide border congestion, which cost the US 55,675 jobs at California land ports in 2007.

The economic impact of investment at our nations’s POEs will not be confined to the border. In 2007, cross-border trade at U.S. land ports supported 3/4 of a trillion dollars in North American economic activity, which contributed more than $363 billion, over 2.5% of GDP, directly to our national economy. Additionally, 34 non-border states listed Canada, Mexico or both as their top two export markets, with many U.S. communities deriving a significant part of their local GDP from exports: Peoria, IL (52.3 percent, $9.2 billion); Davenport, IA (20.6 percent, $3.4 billion); and Cincinnati, OH (14.7 percent, $12.7 billion) are a few of the many specific examples.

Finally addressing the massive shortfall in POEs funding will begin to help reduce cross-border trade bottlenecks, resulting from overburdened and outdated infrastructure, that has added millions to the cost of doing business for manufacturers, transportation firms, and small businesses. Which in turn, will eventually help to lower the cost of goods for U.S. consumers and provide much needed increases in state and local sales tax revenue.


“Investment in cross-border trade and the infrastructure that supports it is a direct investment in the health of our national economy,” said Maria Luisa O’Connell, President of the Border Trade Alliance.  

Of the $720 million in total funding, $300 million will go to GSA for land port of entry infrastructure upgrades “not less than $300 million shall be available for border stations and land ports of entry” and $420 million for CBP “solely for planning, management, design, alteration, and construction of U.S. Customs and Border Protection owned land border ports of entry.”

Download the PDF Release: $720m in Economic Stimulus

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Aug 15

BTA, Key Federal Officials Meet to Discuss Border Security and Trade

Published by Director of Policy.
in Advocacy, Infrastructure. 0 Comments
BTA Lead Panel of Experts on Effective Trade and Commerce

El Paso, TX - On Tuesday, August 12th, Border Trade Alliance (BTA) President Maria Luisa O’Connell addressed an audience of top-level policy-makers and border officials as part of the 5th Annual Border Security Conference. The event, hosted by Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) and the University of Texas El-Paso focused on development of a Bi-National Strategy for Border Protection and Effective Commerce.

BTA President O’Connell addressed the topic of the conference during her presentation. Dallas Morning News quotes Ms. O’Connell in its media coverage of the event:

“Violence has had a large impact on border trade because it affects our perceptions of public safety,” said Maria Louisa O’Connell, president of the Border Trade Alliance. “We have to be careful that we give people an accurate understanding based on facts, not scare stories.”

Ms. O’Connell, addressing the fifth annual conference on border security at the University of Texas at El Paso, said the nation’s preoccupation with tightening security along the border in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks has had an adverse effect on trade.

“That is why one of our biggest challenges now is to restore a sense of balance between trade and security,” she said Tuesday. “The money from trade generates taxes, which pays for homeland security.”

During the “Effective Trade and Commerce” panel at this week’s conference, BTA President O’Connell was joined by panelists Lic. Jorge Cazares Castillo, Director of Border Affairs at the Secretary of Economy, Mexico; Jamie Estrada, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Department of Commerce; and Thomas Winkowski the Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. During her presentation, BTA President O’Connell also stressed, to the many high-level federal officials attending the conference, the need for federal attention and action on border issues, which are of national significance:

“We have to continue to coordinate as partners to examine the comprehensive cross-border system along both our borders with Canada and Mexico, matching resources with needs and ensuring that in providing for the security of our homeland we also protect our ability to conduct legitimate cross-border economic activity that is a critical component to our national economic health.”

The Border Trade Alliance is continuing its efforts to bring national attention to the critical need for increased federal investment in infrastructure and resources at our nation’s land ports of entry. During the past year, the BTA has brought forward a groundswell of momentum behind the growing concern of increased delays at land border crossings throughout the U.S-Canada and U.S. –Mexico borders. BTA advocacy efforts during the past year toward Congress, federal agencies and national media have resulted in numerous Congressional hearings, countless national media articles, and the introduction of several major bills designed to address the underlying issues driving cross-border delays.

Some examples of BTA success in generating national attention and results from last year’s Border Wait-Times campaign:

BTA Requests Federal Action to Support Economic Viability of Nation’s Ports

Americas 2020 Summit: BTA Recommends Solutions to 21st Century Border Issues

House Holds Hearing on BTA Endorsed Border Legislation

BTA Podcast: Senator Cornyn and Commerce Secretary Gutierrez on Border Delays

BTA Podcast: Senator Hutchison & Congressman Reyes on Wait-Times Legislation

Border Trade Alliance Issues Support for Critical Legislation Impacting Border Wait-Times

Benefits of NAFTA Threatened by Cross-Border Wait-times: Legislators push to study effects on Economy

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

GSA Administrator Presses for More Infrastructure at the Border

BTA Hosts Successful International Conference on Border Issues

BTA Grassroots Campaign on Border Wait Times

Increased Inspections at the Ports of Entry: 60% check of identification

House Committee Holds Hearing on Wait-times Part 2

House Committee Holds Hearing on Wait-times Part 1

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

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