Two of the region’s Congressional representatives say a proposed land border fee proposal has been defeated.
The Department of Homeland Security had included in its fiscal year 2014 budget request a proposal to study implementing a land border crossing fee.
Congressman Bill Owens, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, had introduced an amendment to block the proposed study.
Both Owens and fellow Democrat from Vermont Peter Welch said a border fee would waste money and be detrimental to economic development, jobs and tourism along the northern border.
The U.S. House passed the compromise appropriations bill Wednesday with the Owens amendment intact, thus approving a halt to the study.