18 December 2007

U.S. politicians renew drive to delay passport requirement

This article is excerpted from the 18 December 2007 edition of the “Toronto Star”.

American legislators are renewing their push to delay requiring passports at the Canada-U.S. border until June 2009 by slipping the measure into a critical spending bill.

But the Homeland Security Department says it's determined to move forward with the new security requirement next summer as planned, regardless of how Congress votes.

The delay is part of a $500 billion (U.S.) omnibus bill that legislators want to finish before the holidays….

Canada has long supported a delay to ensure the security system is properly in place, avoiding nightmarish traffic lineups and long wait times for passports.

The extra time was written into the House of Representatives bill by New York Democrat Louise Slaughter.

She included a provision for withholding $75 million to implement the plan until officials report on the status of new identification cards and high-technology driver's licences that are being developed as alternatives to passports….