Snowe, Collins applaud new border state ID card

HOULTON – Like many residents of border communities in Maine, Houlton residents cross the nearby U.S. border into Canada on a weekly and sometimes daily basis to shop, work, attend religious services and visit family and friends.

So when the federal government announced after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that U.S. citizens would need a passport or a new federal ID card to return home from Mexico, Canada, Panama or Bermuda, many Mainers were concerned about both the disruption of their lifestyle and the cost and inconvenience of carrying a 31/2-inch-by-5-inch, $97 first-time passport around.

That will no longer be a problem, U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins announced Wednesday, as the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security will develop a less expensive identity document for Americans who frequently travel to Canada and Mexico.

The new ID card will be issued by the State Department and will be the size of a driver’s license. It is expected to cost around $50. Officials added that once federal standards have been developed for the secure, biometric cards, border states may be able to incorporate the card’s features into driver’s licenses. This would eliminate the need for residents to carry both.

“We were told that the cards would be available by the end of the year,” Collins spokesman Kevin Kelley said Wednesday. “This card will be less expensive than a passport and will make it easier for people to cross into Canada from communities such as Houlton.”

Sen. Olympia Snowe lauded the decision, saying in a press release that she looked forward to learning more details about the new cards in the future.

“Everyone recognizes the need to prevent terrorists and criminals from entering the country, but we must also ensure that we do not place an onerous burden on our border communities and residents,” she said.

“It is imperative that the program that is ultimately produced does not make travel between the U.S. and Canada more difficult,” Snowe continued.

Collins, who is chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, also praised the less-expensive, more portable ID cards. Collins said that she has consistently argued that new travel rules should take into account the unique needs of states such as Maine, where frequent travel across the border is crucial.

“This joint decision … will protect the interests of people living in border communities,” said Collins. “Many Mainers rely on the ability to quickly and easily cross the northern border to access essential services … I have consistently maintained that it is important that we strike a balance between the security of our nation’s borders and the free flow of commerce and travel to and from the United States.”

Last August, Collins invited Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to visit the state for a firsthand look at the issues facing Maine’s border and ports. The duo traveled to Presque Isle and toured the U.S.-Canadian border via helicopter before meeting with Customs and Border Protection officials in Houlton.

Preston Hartman, Snowe’s spokesman, said that officials are still learning about all aspects of the new initiative. They hope to release additional information in coming months.