Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act of 2016

Floor Speech

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Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6431, the Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act.

First I want to take a moment to thank my colleague, Congresswoman Kuster, for all of her efforts on this important bill. As you can see, the need for preclearance and this bill stretches across party lines and across our great Nation.

In my district and communities in northern New York, Canada is more than just a bordering nation. They are our neighbors, our friends, and our largest trading partner. Plattsburgh, a city in my district, has even branded itself as Montreal's U.S. suburb, home to more than 100 U.S. subsidiaries of Canadian companies with 15 percent of our area workforce working for a Canadian or border-related employer.

That is why I helped lead the efforts to craft H.R. 6431, the Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act--a necessary step to solidify the preclearance agreement between the U.S. and Canada, which was reached over a year ago.

This significant, bipartisan legislation is great news for U.S.- Canadian relations. It maintains a positive working relationship with border officials, especially in rural regions like ours in the north country, and it allows for facility sharing along the border. This bill also expands U.S. preclearance operations to help provide expedited screening for Amtrak passengers prior to traveling. This process will allow for an easier and accelerated trip while ensuring necessary protections for our national security.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this vital legislation to maintain a secure northern border and facilitate travel and commerce between the U.S. and Canada. I urge the Senate to act quickly to send this measure to the President.

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