{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-bicameral-bipartisan-legislation-to-address-cbp-failures-at-northern-ports", "Crapo Joins Bicameral, Bipartisan Legislation to Address CBP Failures at Northern Ports", "2023-07-27", "2023", "2023-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Steve Daines (R-Montana), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), and U.S. Representatives Kelly Armstrong (R-North Dakota), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington), Ryan Zinke (R-Montana), and Matt Rosendale (R-Montana) introduced legislation requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection\u2019s hours of operations at northern ports to match or exceed pre-pandemic hours. The bill\u2019s creation was spurred by CBP\u2019s recent announcement that it will reduce hours at certain northern ports and maintain adjusted hours at others, including Porthill Port of Entry in Idaho.\n\n\u201cReturning ports of entry on America\u2019s northern border to longer, pre-pandemic hours is necessary for commerce and is essential to maintaining national security as a means to prevent illegal immigration,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cNorth Idaho\u2019s economy relies on the free flow of people and goods between our state and Canada. CBP must extend its operating hours to accommodate the needs on both sides of the border.\u201d\n\n\u201cCBP\u2019s failure to operate America\u2019s northern ports at pre-pandemic hours is detrimental to North Idaho\u2019s economy and way of life,\u201d said Risch. \u201cMy legislation would return northern ports to at minimum pre-pandemic hours and allow Idahoans to once again access vital commerce, tourism, trade, travel, and more.\u201d\n\n\u201cFolks along Montana\u2019s northern border rely on consistent trade and commerce with Canada to make a living and support their families,\u201d said Tester. \u201cOur northern ports have been operating at reduced hours for far too long, and it\u2019s time for the Biden Administration to listen to Montanans and reopen them to pre-pandemic hours. Canada is Montana\u2019s largest trading partner, and I won\u2019t stop fighting until Montana\u2019s producers and small businesses are able to resume business as usual along our border.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is essential for Montana communities, businesses and families that our ports of entry with Canada are accessible,\u201d said Daines. \u201cI urge the Biden administration to fully reopen the Northern border \u2013 Montanans are counting on it.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur northern border communities, including in North Dakota, rely on legal trade and travel with Canada,\u201d said Hoeven. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019ve been pressing CBP to resume pre-pandemic hours of operation at northern border crossings. Doing so would enable goods and people to move more efficiently, helping to address supply chain issues while supporting our ag, energy and tourism industries, among other priorities.\u201d\n\n\u201cLife is back to normal, and we all know the COVID-19 pandemic is over,\u201d said Cramer. \u201cInstead of returning all Northern Border Port of Entry hours to pre-pandemic levels, North Dakotans and border communities are forced to contend with shorter hours. It\u2019s time to restore hours of operation at our border to previous levels and end this saga.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s important to many North Dakotans and our state\u2019s economy that ports of entry with Canada are accessible. CBP recently announced that it will not maintain extended hours at the Maida and Northgate ports of entry. This decision will make it harder to conduct business, particularly for farmers during the summer. Our bill will require CBP to extend operating hours at these northern border crossings and expand trade and cooperation with one of our closest allies,\u201d said Armstrong.\n\n\u201cThe Public Health Emergency is over and business needs to return to normal for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection ports of entry along the northern border,\u201d Fulcher said. \u201cI look forward to the permanent restoration of entry hours. The constituents I represent in Idaho deserve nothing less.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-joins-bicameral-bipartisan-legislation-to-address-cbp-failures-at-northern-ports"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8091703057289124, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}