10.12.01

Senator Maria Cantwell Applauds Inclusion of Northern Border Provisions in the Senate Anti-Terrorism Bill

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today called the northern border provisions in the anti-terrorism bill that passed the Senate early this morning a "shot in the arm where we need it most." Cantwell, a leader in the Senate on increasing resources on the northern border, successfully fought to include language to authorize the tripling of the number of INS and U.S. Customs personnel on the northern border and to authorize $100 million for technology purchases and upgrades.

"The anti-terrorism bill that passed the Senate provides a long overdue boost to Washington state and other northern border states by authorizing a tripling in the number of staff and an improvement in border technology," Cantwell said. "It's a shot in the arm where we need it most."

There are currently 300 Border Patrol Agents assigned to patrol the entire 4,000 miles of the northern border, in contrast to 8,000 agents on the southern border. The number of INS and Customs inspectors at the northern and southern borders are also disproportionate. Additionally, many of the computer systems used at the border are incompatible with other systems within an agency or interagency.

Cantwell also successfully negotiated the inclusion of a provision that requires the government to develop a technology standard for visas. The provision requires the State Department and the Department of Justice to develop a technology standard, so that we can be certain each individual who seeks entry into our country on a visa is the person he or she claims to be and there is no known reason to keep that person out.

"We ask a lot from the INS and Customs agents and inspectors - they are charged with safeguarding the border - yet we do not give them the tools to be successful," Cantwell said. "By requiring a technology standard we will give them another tool in the war against terrorism which can be used to keep us safe."