Sen. Lang opposes port hour reduction

Living in Montana on the Hi-Line, the ports of entry are a valuable resource. They allow people and goods to flow freely from one side of the border to the other. So, I was deeply troubled to learn that --yet, again -- the powers that be in Washington, D.C. have decided to restrict our access to the ports.

I proudly represent the people of Montana SD-17. The northern boundary of SD-17 is half of the Montana border separating the United States from Canada. SD-17 represents the Montana counties of Hill, Blaine, Phillips, Valley Daniels and Sheridan, which border Canada.

This is a battle that Montanans have fought time and again. A battle to have our rural way of life respected. A battle to sustain businesses and livelihoods in a part of the nation that many of the coastal elite’s regard simply and hatefully as ‘flyover country.’

I oppose the decision by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to reduce hours at the ports of Morgan, Raymond, Opheim and Scobey. But I vehemently oppose the abrupt nature of the decision, then followed by the superficial and deceptive request of public comment in the form of hastily scheduled town hall meetings.

We are a fiscal responsible region, which pays our taxes to support OUR United States. However, we feel a reduction of port hours will continue to reduce the economic viability of the area. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) should maintain the pre-proposal port hours and respect the social-economic values of the Hi-Line. It seems irresponsible that in some cases, you will not be able to enter the U.S., but you will be able to enter Canada.

Those of us who live in Eastern and Northern Montana would be happy to work with the Trump Administration and Customs and Border Protection to develop a plan that reduce costs, maintains service and respects the social-economic values of north eastern Montana. We consider the agencies that run our ports of entry our partners, but we are given the opportunity to comment only after these decisions are all but made. And, frankly, that must stop.

I encourage my fellow Montanans, the residents of my district, who care about access to the ports to attend the town hall meetings We need port access and we need to be advocates for our way of life.

Gratefully,

Mike Lang, Senator

Montana SD-17

Malta, MT

[email protected]