| Washington, D.C.- Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced the passage of an appropriations bill that will provide nearly $160 million to increase the amount of U.S. Customs officers along the Northern Border. The appropriations bill also provides funding for new, more efficient border procedures that will ultimately alleviate congestion while strengthening our borders. Kildee urged Congress to take immediate action because truck production in Flint was endangered because the delivery of components was delayed at the U.S.-Canadian Border. This House action comes in response to a Michigan delegation letter drafted by Congressmen Dale Kildee and Dave Camp, which requested an increase in the number of personnel to facilitate the smooth delivery of goods to the Flint plant.
“I am relieved that we were able to provide this funding. I was adamant about providing immediate assistance after learning that the truck plant in Flint nearly had to temporarily suspend production because components were being held up at the border,” said Kildee. “This funding will ultimately help increase our border security without hindering the free flow of people and commerce across our borders.”
The Michigan Congressional Delegation lobbied the appropriations subcommittee to provide adequate funding to install better technologies at the border that will help expedite the processing of materials and equipment across the border. The delegation stressed that congestion and delays would have an adverse affect on the state and local economy because they rely on international trade. Since September 11, 2001, the protracted processing at the Northern Border has negatively impacted thousands of businesses in Michigan and has created potential problems for the Flint truck plant.
The Treasury-Postal Service-General Government Appropriations for FY 2003 provides $157 million for staffing the Northern Border, an increase of $27 million over the current level. This funding translates into 228 new Customs officers to help alleviate congestion and facilitate the delivery of materials across the Northern Border. The Northern Border of the U.S. will also receive a portion of $316.9 million, which will be used for the development of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system. This brand new system will allow Customs to process truck manifests more efficiently through computer technology.
“On behalf of the people of Michigan, I greatly appreciate the subcommittee’s willingness to provide the necessary funding to ensure the smooth transfer of materials across our borders,” said Kildee. “This funding comes at a time when local businesses are threatened by unnecessary delays and congestion at the border. We now have a great opportunity to make our border processing more efficient and easier than ever before.” | 
![[News from Congressman Dale Kildee]](letterhead.gif)