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US Senator Charles Schumer
Schumer: Scrapping fee for entering US from Canada by ferry not enough
Watertown, NY, Nov 28, 2011 — Democratic Senator Charles Schumer announced Monday the federal government is backing down from its plan to charge ferry boat passengers who come to the US border from Canada a $5.50 fee. The fee will still apply to travelers arriving in the US by plane.
In a press release, Schumer said Customs and Border Protection's decision is an important step toward eliminating the fees entirely.
In a press release, Schumer said Customs and Border Protection's decision is an important step toward eliminating the fees entirely.
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But when the senator was in Watertown Friday campaigning against the fee—he said charging visitors fees to enter the US at all…sends a bad message to potential visitors:
The federal government
might as well be putting stop signs up, at every waterway, at every crossing,
at every airport.
Schumer says he has spoken with the Canadian government about the fee, and that he’s concerned it might begin charging a fee of its own to Americans entering Canada.
The senator has also said he’s introducing legislation to block the fees…which he views as a serious threat to Northern New York tourism.
