BILL REQ. #: H-4057.1
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 01/31/12.
TO THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO EACH MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON, THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, THE
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, AND THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION:
We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of
the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully
represent and petition as follows:
WHEREAS, The United States and Canada enjoy a partnership long
rooted in a history of peaceful coexistence and one of the largest and
most successful economic relationships in the world; and
WHEREAS, The United States and Canada are each other's largest
single export market; and
WHEREAS, Millions of jobs in both the United States and Canada
depend on the trade and investment flowing across the border between
the two countries; and
WHEREAS, Canada is Washington's top trading partner, based on 2010
data, and our companies and industries depend on integrated
cross-border supply chains and production processes; and
WHEREAS, On February 4, 2011, the Prime Minister of Canada and the
President of the United States issued a declaration on a Shared Vision
for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness, which called for
a joint action plan; and
WHEREAS, The United States and Canada established a Beyond the
Border Working Group composed of representatives from the relevant
departments and offices of their federal governments to develop the
action plan and be responsible for its implementation; and
WHEREAS, The Beyond the Border Action Plan was released in December
of 2011; and
WHEREAS, The Beyond the Border Action Plan details methods for the
United States and Canada to work together to enhance joint security and
accelerate the legitimate flow of people, goods, and services through
four areas of cooperation: (1) Addressing threats early; (2) trade
facilitation, economic growth, and jobs; (3) cross-border law
enforcement; and (4) critical infrastructure and cybersecurity; and
WHEREAS, On February 4, 2011, the Prime Minister of Canada and the
President of the United States announced the creation of the United
States-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council to increase regulatory
transparency and coordination between the two countries; and
WHEREAS, The initial Joint Action Plan of the Regulatory
Cooperation Council was released in December of 2011; and
WHEREAS, The Action Plan on Regulatory Cooperation will help reduce
barriers to trade, lower costs for consumers and business, and create
economic opportunities on both sides of the border through the
alignment of regulatory approaches in the areas of agriculture and
food, transportation, health and personal care products, chemical
management, the environment, and other cross-sectoral areas, while not
compromising our health, safety, or environmental protection standards;
and
WHEREAS, Washington has much to gain from the development of joint
strategies and integrated approaches to enhance security and efficient
trade between Canada and the United States;
NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the
President, Executive Branch Agencies, and Congress work together to see
that the Beyond the Border Action Plan on Perimeter Security and
Economic Competitiveness and the Action Plan on Regulatory Cooperation
are carried out, and that the United States' appointees to the Beyond
the Border Working Group, the Regulatory Cooperation Council, and the
United States' agencies responsible for implementing the Action Plans
have the resources necessary to assist in realizing the goals of the
Action Plans.
BE IT RESOLVED, That the relevant committees of the Washington
state legislature monitor implementation of the Beyond the Border
Action Plan on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness and the
Action Plan on Regulatory Cooperation for opportunities for state-level
cooperation and participation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately
transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United
States, each member of Congress from the State of Washington, the
Secretary of the United States Department of State, the United States
Attorney General, the Secretary of the United States Department of
Homeland Security, the Secretary of the United States Department of
Commerce, the Secretary of the United States Department of
Transportation, the President of the United States Senate, and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives.