Canada border business oppose passport rule
A coalition of local U.S. and Canadian chambers of commerce will be in Washington this week trying to convince Congress and the Bush administration to change the law requiring U.S. citizens to have a passport to enter the country.
The 2004 Intelligence Reform Act instructed the Homeland Security and State departments to implement a plan by January 2008 requiring U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to present a passport or other verifiable, secure border card to enter the country.
Businesses fear that the cost and time required to obtain a passport or other document will discourage people from making spontaneous, or daily, trips across the border and are instead recommending the use of a biometric or other enhanced drivers license.
