Schafer signed the Midwestern Governors' Conference resolution:
WHEREAS, the United States and Canada share the longest undefended border in the world; and
WHEREAS, the United States and Canada have the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world, exceeding $1 billion every day; and
WHEREAS, the rate of cross-border traffic is steadily increasing, with billions of dollars worth of goods and tens of millions of American and Canadian citizens crossing the land border each year; and
WHEREAS, Section 110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 requires the U.S. Attorney General to develop an automated entry-exit control system to register �all aliens� entering and departing the United States; and
WHEREAS, this system will place an unmanageable requirement on border-crossing services, impose serious delays at the Canada-U.S. land border and result in unintended negative consequences for international trade, tourism, and the economies in our region; and
WHEREAS, reports about serious congestion at the Canada-U.S. border have generated concern and uncertainty in the business community; and
WHEREAS, the United States Senate has passed the Commerce-State-Justice Appropriations Bill and State Department Reauthorization legislation which repeal the entry-exit control system required by Section 110; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Midwestern Governors� Conference calls on Congress and the President to repeal Section 110 because of the its adverse impact on legitimate cross border traffic at land border points of entry.
Source: Resolution of Midwestern Governors' Conf. on Canadian Border 99-MGC1 on Oct 14, 1999
