Speech #1140009698

Over 1 million Canadians visit Minnesota every yearby the way. many of them going to the Mall of Americacontributing $265 million to the local economy. But that relationship relies on a seamless U.S.-Canadian border. with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol keeping that border secure and efficiently screening all crossborder traffic. We have made important strides in recent years with trusted traveler programs to make our northern border more secure. while encouraging the crossborder tourism and commerce that is the lifeblood of my State. Withholding critical funding from the Department of Homeland Security could threaten that progress. leading to a less secure border and hindering economic opportunity.