Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Information (WHTI): The Bush administration yesterday postponed for at least six months a new security rule that Americans show a passport when crossing U.S. borders by land or by sea, requiring instead that citizens present an identity card and proof of citizenship upon entry for the first time, beginning Jan. 31.
Under the change, travelers returning from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean would no longer be able to make a verbal declaration of U.S. citizenship but would have to present a government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license or certain "trusted traveler" cards, and a birth certificate.
Children under 16 years of age could present certified copies of birth certificates.
The Homeland Security and State departments said they expect to require passports or similar documents no sooner than the summer of 2008. The House and a Senate committee passed legislation last week to delay the requirement at land and sea crossings until June 2009.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced the shift amid mounting controversy over the economic cost and disruption of security changes to residents and border trade.
The State Department two weeks ago acknowledged fumbling the first phase of the passport requirement, which began last January for air travelers. Noting that wait times for passports had climbed from three weeks to three months because of a backlog of 3 million applications, officials waived the rule until Sept. 30 for travelers who can show proof they had already applied.
Yesterday, Chertoff signaled a mix of flexibility and persistence, saying that he would work to accommodate the concerns of both lawmakers and industry.
"We're not going to drop the ax on January 1, 2008," Chertoff said.
But he maintained that streamlining the number of travel documents eligible for presentation under a program called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was a vital recommendation of the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "Those who believe we should continue to allow 8,000 documents and oral declarations [of citizenship], are playing with fire. They are gambling with the security of this country," he said.
Critics said the new timeline is unrealistic because of what they called the Bush administration's abysmal implementation record.
The House Rules Committee chairwoman, Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.), whose district includes Buffalo, called the proposal "premature" and "not grounded in reality."
Roger Dow, head of the Travel Industry Association, said: "This two-tiered approach for land and sea will only make things more confusing for travelers."
By Spencer S. Hsu and William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, June 21, 2007; A11
Correction: WHTI not delayed -- yet
WASHINGTON -- Contrary to some published reports, a U.S. House of Representatives vote to delay the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) until June 2009 is not the final word on the matter, and the controversial passport rule could still go ahead as planned.
A U.S. Customs expert tells TodaysTrucking.com that the amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill is just a "first step" towards delaying the program and must still clear a Senate vote and be signed into law by President Bush.
In fact, by then, the amendment -- which passed in the House by a vote of 268 to 150 -- may be taken out of the bill for 2008. "It's a long, long way from being a done deal," said the source.
WHTI requires anyone entering the U.S. to show a valid passport.
There's been talk of allowing FAST-approved truckers to use their FAST card in lieu of a passport (as the Canadian Trucking Alliance is lobbying for), or allowing travelers to apply for a smaller, cheaper "PASS" card as a substitute.
However, because a final WHTI rule for land port implementation has not been published in the Federal Register, the issue remains hazy for truckers.
To read the rest of the story, follow this link:
http://www.todaystrucking.com/news.cfm?intDocID=18069
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