U.S. Chamber Applauds President's Mexican Border Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Chamber of Commerce praised today's announcement by President George Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox that their two countries will enhance customs collaboration and deploy new technologies to ensure a "smart and secure" U.S.-Mexico border.

"Our ties to Mexico run deep and an open border is key to our mutual prosperity," said U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue. "This initiative will provide added security and safeguard the economy by bringing our border management into the 21st century."

Among the features of the U.S.-Mexico agreement is an expedited clearance program for shipments by firms that participate in enhanced compliance regimes. The agreement will also expand the use of dedicated lanes for frequent border crossers with "smart cards."

"In the wake of 9/11, we must modernize our customs and immigration technologies, boost manpower, and improve our cooperation with our trading partners to ensure vigilance without hindering the flow of people and goods," said Donohue.

The need for increased border collaboration is supported by a recent U.S. Chamber survey of chambers of commerce along the southwestern border, which detailed the negative impact on local economies from post-9/11 gridlock at the border.

"The government needs to work with our allies to the south and to the north to protect the public from terrorists while continuing to allow legitimate trade and travel," said Donohue.

U.S. and Canadian officials unveiled a similar northern-border agreement in December, strongly backed by the Chamber, which includes a new initiative to conduct customs clearances at each other's ports of entry.

U.S. trade with Mexico and Canada reached $600 billion last year, according to the U.S. Chamber. To protect the flow of commerce, the Chamber is calling on Congress to appropriate additional funds for the U.S. Customs Service and Immigration and Naturalization Service to invest in new technologies.

The U.S. Chamber chairs the Americans for Better Borders coalition. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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