releases: https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/daines-zinke-work-to-protect-port-of-raymond-operational-hours
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/daines-zinke-work-to-protect-port-of-raymond-operational-hours | Daines, Zinke Work to Protect Port of Raymond Operational Hours | 2015-11-23 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MT | Steve Daines | D000618 | www.daines.senate.gov | legacy | 11.23.15 Daines, Zinke Work to Protect Port of Raymond Operational Hours WASHINGTON, D.C. Montana Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke today urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to reverse plans to reduce operating hours at the Port of Raymond and terminate the northeastern Montana border crossing's 24-hour operating status. In a letter to CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske, Daines and Zinke highlighted the important role that the Port of Raymond holds for regional economic activity and the overwhelming local concern surroundingCBP's recent decisionto reduce operating hours. Terminating the Port of Raymond's 24-hour status would create costly route diversions and impair the flow of goods in an important economic corridor,Daines and Zinke wrote.We therefore stand with local elected leaders, including Montana State Senator John Brenden and Sheridan County Commissioners Bill Nyby, Keith Clawson, and Bob Nikolaisen, in urging CBP to reverse this shortsighted decision. Daines and Zinke urged the CBP to immediately suspend its misguided plan to reduce hours at the Port of Raymond and emphasized the potential negative economic ramifications of the CBP's revised operating schedule. As voices for Montana in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives we are strongly concerned that reducing hours at the Port of Raymond will have adverse impacts on both the rural community and on the broader economy,Daines and Zinke continued.Accordingly, we urge CBP to suspend any final decisions on this proposal until more options can be considered. Daines' and Zinke's efforts were commendedby Montana State Senator John Brenden. I appreciate Senator Daines' and Representative Zinke's work to prevent U.S. Customs and Border Patrol from moving forward with its shortsighted plan to reduce operating hours at the Port of Raymond,Montana State Senator John Brenden stated.The consequences of the CBP's decision will be felt across Sheridan County and northeastern Montana. I urge the CBP to immediately suspend its plan and prioritize working with local Montana leaders to find a better solution." Read the full text of the letter below or download ithere: Dear Commissioner Kerlikowske: We write to express our opposition to the Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) decision to reduce the operating hours at the Port of Raymond in Northeast Montana.Terminating the Port of Raymond's 24-hour status would create costly route diversions and impair the flow of goods in an important economic corridor. We therefore stand with local elected leaders, including Montana State Senator John Brenden and Sheridan County Commissioners Bill Nyby, Keith Clawson, and Bob Nikolaisen, in urging CBP to reverse this shortsighted decision. We understand that CBP plans to eliminate the midnight to 8:00 a.m. shift as early as next month. This is particularly concerning considering that the Port of Raymond is one of three major border crossings that are part of the commercial Ports-to-Plains trade corridor and the only port in the Theodore Roosevelt Expressway, a congressionally delegated high priority corridor. Further, reducing the hours at the Port of Raymond would create significant hurdles for local businesses, because the closest port with 24-hour entry is more than 90 miles away. The looming decision would also leave a gap of more than 500 miles between 24-hour ports on the U.S.-Canada border, which would likewise create costly impediments to commerce and slow economic activity. As voices for Montana in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives we are strongly concerned that reducing hours at the Port of Raymond will have adverse impacts on both the rural community and on the broader economy. Accordingly, we urge CBP to suspend any final decisions on this proposal until more options can be considered.Thankyou for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to hearing from you. ### Print Email Tweet Previous Article Next Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |