Yet, from what I am reading, there doesn't seem to be any U.S. financial commitment to the building of this critical international border.

This is not a challenge. This is a crisis.

Cross-border travel, the efficient flow of goods and people across the border, and the security of our ports of entry are vital to the communities I am privileged to represent.

I was greatly encouraged by the announcement made last month by President Obama and Prime Minister Trudeau regarding the program.

Unfortunately, U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Field Operations continues to be understaffed at ports of entry based on the agency's own staffing model.

I want to thank the Chair, and I am pleased to serve as Ranking Member today, particularly given the topic at hand, staffing and infrastructure at America's ports of entry.

The Honorable Brian Higgins, a Representative in Congress From the State of New York:

That is a problem in terms of morale--morale and just the importance of that relative to recruitment of Officers.

I am amazed when I read this story about the new international bridge being constructed between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, and the fact that the entire project is being financed by the Canadian Government.

But this project has been delayed substantially because of lack of interest, lack of will, on the part of the U.S. Government to contribute.

The only way that you build in reliability and predictability is to build in capacity.