Owens speaks on panel at major border conference in El Paso, TX

Press Release

Last Friday Congressman Bill Owens spoke on a panel at a major border conference providing expertise on how to increase secure trade. The panel focused on the economic opportunities presented by close proximity to Juarez, Mexico with Congressman Owens discussing his experiences along the Canadian border.

"Whether through improvements in technology, infrastructure or staffing, border service upgrades are smart economic policy," said Owens. "Cross-border trade creates jobs and grows local economies. While our northern and southern borders have important differences, they both offer opportunities to expand and streamline trade and travel and encourage business investment that stimulates economic growth."

Other prominent participants at the conference included Congressman Beto O'Rourke who co-hosted the event, Stefan M. Selig, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade and U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar and Joaquin Castro.

"Border management is most effective when the strategies for our northern and southern borders rely on the exchange of good ideas," added Owens. "I will continue to push for both borders to use the best practices available to us and advocate for all necessary improvements to our nation's border facilities to encourage the swift and secure transportation of goods and travelers."

Owens recently announced increases in the number of Customs and Border Protection officers at U.S. ports of entry, including an estimated 40 added to North Country border facilities.

Rep. Owens has been a leader on border issues throughout his time in Congress. He sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security where he has worked to streamline border services, encourage international investment and spur trade growth across our northern border. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Northern Border Caucus, Owens has organized events to convene discussions on border issues and practical steps for reform. He organized and led an export forum at SUNY Adirondack for prospective businesses in the Glens Falls area. He hosted security officials and business leaders for a discussion about the Beyond the Border action plan at Clarkson University. He led a 2014 Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group discussion on bilateral trade facilitation. He also introduced a bill in the 113th Congress to create public-private partnerships to facilitate greater investment in port of entry infrastructure, and co-sponsored legislation to ease customs thresholds for cross-border shipments to increase trade and commerce. He authored an article in the Canada-United States Law Journal entitled "Beyond the Border: A New Chapter in North American Trade." And he shepherded $105M in critical upgrades through Appropriations Committee to streamline trade and travel through the Alexandria Bay Land Port of Entry (LPOE).

Some facts and figures about U.S.-Canada trade:

- The U.S. and Canada share a $1.2 trillion economic relationship including trade, tourism, investment and other activities.

- Canada is the largest source of foreign direct investment in the United States, and in Clinton County alone Canada's presence accounts for approximately $1.6 billion in economic impact every year.

- U.S.-Canada trade supports an estimated 8 million U.S. jobs, 600,000 of which are in New York State.

- Canada is the primary foreign export destination for New York State products, worth over $14 billion annually.

- New York is the top destination in the U.S. for Canadian tourists, who made more than 4.2 million visits to the State in 2012, spending more than $1.5 billion. Tourists from Canada made more than 21 million trips to the United States in 2011 spending more than $24 billion in the process.

- 12 border crossings in New York's 21st Congressional District facilitate trade and travel.

- Delays at U.S. land ports cost approximately 26,000 jobs and $18 billion in lost output every year.

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