WASHINGTON, DC-- Senator Susan Collins, Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, was successful in helping to secure language in the Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act Conference Report that will delay the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) until June 1, 2009. This legislation, the final version of the DHS spending bill, is expected to be approved by the Senate later this evening, clearing the way for the President’s signature.
“For many Maine residents, quick and easy border crossing is essential in order to access essential services, travel to their jobs, to attend church, and to visit family and friends. It is critical that we strike a balance between the security of our nation’s borders and the free flow of commerce and travel to and from the United States,” said Senator Collins. “The delay of this initiative is welcome news.”
The WHTI or “passport rule” was signed into law in 2004 and would require all individuals crossing the borders from Canada and Mexico to carry passports or documents deemed sufficient by DHS to denote identity and citizenship. Senator Collins has long argued that new travel rules should take into account the unique needs of states such as Maine, where frequent travel across the border is crucial. She was successful in her efforts to encourage DHS Secretary Chertoff to identify less expensive forms of identification, alternative to a passport, which would meet the criteria set forth in the WHTI. Senator Collins has also been successful in her efforts to delay full implementation of this measure while DHS works to identify alternative forms of ID that takes the needs of frequent travelers residing in border communities into account.
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