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2006 U.S
BORDERS AND TRADE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Following is The Business Council's 2006 Legislative
Program. It identifies priority issues to be addressed by the
Committees and Councils during 2006.
- Oppose implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
on terms which would restrict U.S.-Canadian border crossings
by U.S. and Canadian citizens to those individuals with a passport,
Border Crossing Card or similar federally issued travel ID. Acceptable
ID must continue to include one or more forms of state/provincial
ID which have purposes other than international travel. In addition,
the current process must be amended to become bi-lateral in nature
between the U.S. and Canada, with full engagement by stakeholder
interests, U.S. states and Canadian provinces , and any and all
proposals must be subjected to a meaningful, independent economic
impact analysis and to pilot trials in the field.
- Following the
successful 2005 Quebec-NYS summit, continued commitment by
the New York State government to regular and substantive summits
with the governments of Quebec and Ontario, with full private
sector partnership.This should include an even deeper commitment
to collaboration with Quebec and Ontario in the fields of transportation,
technology sectors, education,economic development, tourism,
sports, energy and security.
- Full and speedy implementation
of the 30 point Canada -- U.S. "Smart Border Declaration",
in order to establish and maintain a balance of physical and
economic security along the entire NYS -- Canada border.
- Adequate
(24/7) staffing, interoperability, and cross designation
by US and Canadian authorities at NYS -- Canadian border crossings.
- Full
deployment of NEXUS at all NYS commercial border crossings
with adequate funding for effective marketing of the program
on both sides of the border.
- Development and deployment
of a preclearance system for cross border Amtrak and motorcoach
passengers along the New York State-Canada border.
- Formal
recognition of the Quebec-New York Corridor (I-87) as a "High
Priority Corridor" by the federal government, along
with full funding of the Champlain/Lacolle "Port of Excellence" project
by 2006, and implementation of bilingual (English and French) signage
along I-87 in NYS.
Click here for the 2006
Legislative Program for all Issue areas.
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