WHTI: Real test is the July 1-4 holiday period

(June 1, 2009 - DTN) - Buffalo Business First - With the new era of border-crossing documentation now in effect, at least one member of Congress remains skeptical and wants further proof that the stricter identification mandates are not hurting the U.S. and Southern Ontario economies.

Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport, said she will be asking both the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department for reports in six months, and again, next June, for the true impact that the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is having on the local economies. The measure, which Slaughter hopes to introduce on Tuesday, will likely include 30 co-sponsors among her congressional colleagues — many from the 11 states that border Canada.

Under the latest round of WHTI mandates, which took effect Monday morning, anyone entering the U.S. from Canada by car or boat must have one of several accepted forms of identification including a newly minted New York enhanced driver’s license or a passport. Gone are the days where a basic oral declaration of citizenship will be accepted.

“I’m pretty sure most Americans coming into the U.S. (from Canada) are going to find this more difficult,” Slaughter said. “Americans are pretty notorious about not getting passports.”

Monday morning, traffic entering the U.S. from the Peace Bridge was moving quickly with little to no delays. Many feel the real test will come next month during the dual July 1 Canada Day and July 4 Independence Day holiday period.

The new WHTI measures cover Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean. Air travelers have been under the WHTI mandate for more than one year.

A massive marketing blitz alerting people to the new identification standards has been under way for most of the year. The mandates only cover re-entry into the U.S.

WHTI, a byproduct of President George Bush’s attempts to make U.S. borders more secure after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, was originally supposed to take effect two years ago. Slaughter, along with others including Sens. Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton, pushed for the June 2009 deadline in order to allow Homeland Security more time to prepare for the more stringent mandates.

U.S. Border Patrol officials said, at least for the initial period, they will continue with their informational campaign and not be denying entrance into the country.

Slaughter said she has her concerns.

The congresswoman feels WHTI may have a negative impact on local businesses and that’s why she wants the report on how much business was lost because of the new mandates.

More than $1.9 billion worth of goods crosses between the U.S. and Canada daily, Slaughter said.

The Peace Bridge and Lewiston-Queenston Bridge are two of the busiest trade routes between the two countries. The Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls is also a much used crossing for tourists.

The border will be busy next winter as Vancouver hosts the 2010 Winter Olympics.

At other points in the state, people can freely walk between the two countries.

“There are parts of the Adirondacks where you are just walking along and may cross between the two countries without even knowing it,” Slaughter said. “All there is a stone marker somewhere. We still haven’t really worked out what’s going to happen with the casual traveler who may just be crossing the border once or twice.”

Buffalo Business First
Original Title: Slaughter will monitor border crossings
By James Fink

Other helpful links:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/whti-ivho/menu-eng.html
http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/index.html