Harris Calls For Enhanced Border Security
The full text of Harris’s testimony follows.
Testimony of U.S. Representative Katherine Harris
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Hearing: “North American Cooperation On The Border”
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Efforts to fortify the nation’s borders should be balanced with a commitment to open trade and commerce between North American countries, U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris said today in testimony before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Harris, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, testified about “The North American Cooperative Security Act” (NACSA), legislation that she has introduced in the House to enhance management, communication and coordination on border issues between the governments and law enforcement communities of the United States and Canada.
The hearing, titled “North American Cooperation on the Border,” brought together a bipartisan contingent of members of Congerss, along with officials from the executive branch, for a closer look at border security issues. Also testifying on Harris’s panel were U.S. Senators John McCain of Arizona, Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and John Cornyn of Texas.
The full text of Harris’s testimony follows.
Testimony of U.S. Representative Katherine Harris
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Hearing: “North American Cooperation On The Border”
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Biden, and esteemed Members of the Committee. Thank you for inviting me to testify before you today about the critical need for border security.
As you are well aware, the security of our borders is one of our most pressing homeland security concerns. Whether we are speaking of the our northern and southern land borders, our coastal borders, or the “interior borders” at air points of entry, much remains to be done, even today, to ensure that those who would do us harm do not exploit these vulnerable points to threaten our nation or the American people.
We must ensure that every threat to our nation – whether it is a terrorist, a shipment of narcotics, or a human trafficking network smuggling criminals or illegal immigrants – is identified and stopped before crossing those borders.
At the same time, we must balance this demand for security against the need for a free flow of commerce and trade. We want and need secure borders, but not at the heavy cost of hindering goods, services, and legal immigrants who contribute to the strength of our nation’s economy and to the richness of our culture.
The challenge of that balancing act has been a priority for me throughout my career in public service. With nearly 1,800 miles of coastline and 14 deep water seaports, Florida is a critical link in the global supply chain that brings goods to and from the United States.
As a member of the Florida State Senate; as Secretary of State; and now as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committees on Homeland Security, Financial Services, and International Relations, I have been deeply involved with efforts to ensure that my state maintains this vital flow of trade, commerce, and migration while seeking new solutions to ensure border security.
One lesson I have learned from this experience is that a comprehensive border security solution – focusing on both the Mexican and Canadian borders as well as our sea borders – is absolutely essential.
Recently, I introduced legislation in the House that could provide the first stage of that comprehensive solution -- the North American Cooperative Security Act, or NACSA (H.R. 2672).
I am pleased to report that I was joined by several of my House colleagues in introducing this legislation, which closely mirrors Chairman Lugar’s legislation in the Senate (S.853).
NACSA seeks to enhance the common security and safety of the United States, Canada, and Mexico by providing a shared framework for management, communication, and coordination on border issues between all three North American governments.
At the same time, NACSA would help to facilitate trade and commerce between the North American countries, and help to expedite trade in “low-risk” goods.
How would this bill strengthen the security of our borders while enhancing commerce between North American trading partners?
Through five basic avenues:
First, NACSA would provide a systematic framework for information-sharing on border security issues, including sharing up-to-date information on criminal gangs and drug smugglers.
Second, NACSA would ensure aggressive and consistent enforcement of the law at the borders, coordinating law enforcement efforts of the three governments to target terrorists, organized crime, and the illicit trafficking of weapons, nuclear materials, drugs, and people.
Furthermore, it would enhance the government’s ability to deport those who are in the country illegally -- especially those with criminal backgrounds.
Third, NACSA would leverage the power of technology to support border security efforts – including creating an electronic database to track criminal gang activity and fostering the effort to develop biometric standards for documents.
With biometric technology, we can be certain that people are who they claim to be, and we can reduce the incidence of fraudulent documentation facilitating illegal entries into our country. The goal is to ensure that high-risk individuals who attempt to enter North America are identified and stopped at the border.
Fourth, NACSA would strengthen trade relationships by reducing wait times for freight and people; investing in improved border infrastructure; determining the feasibility of a common external tariff for all of North America; and establishing a cooperative energy policy to ensure reliable energy supplies for the entire continent.
Finally, NACSA would fortify our security relationship with our critical ally to the south by including Mexico in a number of security programs currently in place throughout the rest of the North America, such as the Joint Interagency Task Force and North American Aerospace Defense Command.
In addition, it would strengthen communication and intelligence between the governments and law enforcement agencies in the United States and Mexico, enhancing cooperation to target the criminal networks and terrorists who would exploit vulnerable points in our border for their own dangerous ends.
With NACSA, we will start by ensuring that our critical land borders with Canada and Mexico are secured, and that the flow of trade, commerce, and people that supports the North American economy is allowed to continue and thrive. I look forward to working with you to ensure that we meet our goal of balancing our needs for security with support for commerce. Thank you very much.
