Miller applauds Obama plan on Canadian border traffic flow, security

Congresswoman Candy Miller, chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security,  today released a statement commending President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for their joint agreement to enhance the two nations’ collaboration on cross-border security, travel and trade.

Miller, a Harrison Township Republican and an outspoken critic of the holes in U.S. border security, rarely offers a compliment to the president. But she called the Obama-Harper announcement the “best news we have had for the Blue Water Bridge during my time in Congress.”

On February 4, Obama and Harper issued a declaration pledging to build upon partnerships between the United States and Canada to accelerate the flow of people, goods and services across the two nations’ border while, at the same time, enhancing border security.  Today’s agreement establishes an action plan to implement the February 4 “Beyond the Border Declaration.”

Miller, whose district includes the Blue Water Bridge crossing, said:

“… I have urged the (Obama) administration to put a stronger focus on changes to facilitate trade across our borders, lower wait times for those who cross the border and to make the needed infrastructure investments needed to achieve these goals.  I am encouraged that the administration and the Canadians have agreed to a deal that will accomplish all of these goals.  I look forward to working with the administration and our Canadian partners to provide the necessary oversight as we begin to implement these much needed changes to make certain that we achieve these important goals. 

“This cross-border plan … identifies the Blue Water Bridge, our nation’s second-busiest commercial border crossing on the northern border, as a priority which should free up the needed federal resources so that we can finally complete the long overdue Blue Water Bridge Plaza expansion project. 

“I intend to aggressively push for many of these key elements to be put in place as soon as possible so we can increase the control of our border while improving the overall traffic flow on a daily basis.”

The congresswoman said she will urge the administration to use the Blue Water Bridge as a “test bed” for many of the pilot programs, particularly the pre-inspection and pre-clearance initiatives laid out in the agreement.

“I am very encouraged,” she added, “that President Obama singled out the automotive industry and the agriculture industry as the industries which were priorities in developing this plan, which again signals the priority placed on the Blue Water Bridge because of the great amount of trade in both those industries which cross the bridge every day.”

As for reducing the number of temporary visitors and potential terrorists who overstay their visa, Miller said the plan’s additional information-sharing between the United States and Canada will “contribute to a more robust “entry/exit” system, as recommended by the 9/11 Commission, which will help us better identify those who have violated the terms of their visa.”

The plan calls for:

• Conducting joint integrated border threat assessments;

• Promoting increased information sharing of law enforcement information;

• Enhancing “domain awareness” in the air, land, and maritime environments;

• Developing a harmonized approach to screening inbound cargo arriving from offshore to expedite the movement of secure cargo;

• Mutual recognition of air cargo screening controls;

• Increased sharing of entry data at land borders so that the entry information from one country could constitute the exit information from another.