Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced the Omnibus spending bill includes language that would prohibit the border crossing fee that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had proposed to study. New York has 17 border crossings with Canada. Senator Gillibrand argued that any fee would hurt local economics across New York which relies on commerce with Canada. According to National Geographic, 75 percent of the Canadian population lives within 100 miles of the American border.
“A new border fee would have been a major setback to our efforts to promote cross-border commerce and tourism, and limit New York’s potential for economic growth at one of the worst possible times,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I will continue working directly with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure New York’s economic priorities are a chief concern at every step of the way on any potential study.”