Senate Joint Resolution No. 19–Committee on Transportation

FILE NUMBER........

Whereas, The economy of the State of Nevada is dependent upon

tourism; and

Whereas, Canada and Mexico rank No. 1 and No. 7, respectively,

among Nevada’s sources of international tourism, sending more than 1.5

million Canadian visitors and more than 104,000 Mexican visitors to this

state per year; and

Whereas, Visitors from Canada and Mexico comprise a major

economic contribution to the State of Nevada; and

Whereas, The United States has entered into international trade

agreements with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to foster, encourage

and stimulate the exchange of goods and products for mutual economic

gain; and

Whereas, The United States does not currently require departing

tourists returning to Canada and Mexico to be stopped and identified at

border crossings; and

Whereas, Section 110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and

Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 requires that a new entry-exit control

system be implemented to track all foreign visitors entering and leaving the

United States but does not provide any law enforcement benefits; and

Whereas, The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant

Responsibility Act of 1996 would impose new border inspection

requirements for the gathering of data at entry and departure points for

vehicular traffic from Canada and Mexico where none currently exist; and

Whereas, The new border entry-exit system does not provide for any

enhancement of provisions for apprehending or removing illegal

immigrants, drug traffickers, terrorists or other criminals and would not

curtail illegal immigration at the borders; and

Whereas, No inspection stations or other facilities for departing

foreign traverlers have been constructed; and

Whereas, This system would be implemented at enormous expense to

the taxpayers of the United States with no tangible benefits; and

Whereas, Congress has held hearings at various sites along the

Canadian border to consider exempting that country from the provisions of

the Act, but no such hearings have been held or are scheduled in the

Mexican border states; and

Whereas, Mexican and Canadian tourists who enter the United States

for business and recreational travel are not immigrants; and

Whereas, These nonimmigrant Mexican and Canadian business and

leisure travelers who will already be required to present travel documents

to enter the United States, would be subjected to inspections and queries

upon departure that would cause travel delays and inconveniences to those

tourists; and

Whereas, Such delays and inconveniences would discourage tourism in

the United States by Mexican and Canadian citizens, delay commerce and

create an economic downturn; and

Whereas, The borders with Canada and Mexico should be kept

reasonably free of governmental over-involvement in order to encourage

tourism, trade and legitimate economic activity that benefit all three

countries; and

Whereas, The National Governors’ Association at its meeting in

Washington in February 1998 determined that the entry-exit control system

may have "unintended negative consequences on international trade,

tourism and the economy"; and

Whereas, The National Governors’ Association urged suspension of

implementing the entry-exit control system until Congress and the President

can ensure that any such system will not disrupt tourism, trade or other

legitimate traffic entering the United States; and

Whereas, Congress passed legislation in October 1998 delaying

imposition of the implementation of the provisions of Section 110 until

March 31, 2001, but allowing the exit system to take effect at the airports

of international entry in the United States; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada,

Jointly, That Congress is hereby urged permanently to mitigate the

consequences of the provisions of Section 110 of the Illegal Immigration

Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996; and be it further

Resolved, That Congress is encouraged to keep the borders between

the United States and Canada and Mexico reasonably free of governmental

over-involvement and to impose no new restrictions until infrastructure is

available that can collect data and detect illegal and unwanted immigration

without disrupting legitimate tourist travel; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy

of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as the presiding

officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and each

member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further

Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage and

approval.

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