Karen Bass: “as I said a moment ago, this amendment is far too restrictive. We have all sorts of different programs that are under…”

“as I said a moment ago, this amendment is far too restrictive. We have all sorts of different programs that are under development right now, the NEXUS card, the SENTRI system and the PASS card, as I mentioned a minute or two ago. If this amendment were to pass, all those programs would be for naught. The passport is indeed as secure a document as you can get, but time has passed since passports were developed in their present form, some 40 or 50 years ago. There is modern technology that can provide American workers and tourists and citizens the proper identification at a much lower cost and make it possible for them to get back and forth across the border more quickly than they would and less expensively than they would with a passport. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, because the impact of it would be devastating for the economy of the United States. It would be devastating for the relations that we have with our neighbor to the north, which are amongst the best in the world. I met with seven members of the Canadian Parliament yesterday, and they brought up this very issue, that they were concerned about the restrictions that might be placed upon American travel to the north. So I hope this amendment is not successful, despite the fact that I respect my friend from Texas' good intentions. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.”