S. R. No. 141 As Introduced

As Introduced

129th General Assembly

Regular Session

2011-2012

S. R. No. 141

Senator Manning

Cosponsors: Senators Burke, Hughes, Jones, Kearney, Seitz, Wagoner

A RESOLUTION

To support the construction of the New International 1
Trade Crossing between the United States and 2
Canada. 3

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       WHEREAS, Canada is the largest foreign trade partner for the 4
United States and the largest export destination for 35 states; 5
and 6

       WHEREAS, Canada is Ohio's top export market; and 7

       WHEREAS, Ohio's bilateral trade with Canada for the year 2010 8
was $30.9 billion; and 9

       WHEREAS, An estimated 301,100 jobs in Ohio are supported by 10
United States-Canada trade; and 11

       WHEREAS, Canadians made more than 544,100 visits to Ohio 12
during 2010, spending more than $137 million; and 13

       WHEREAS, The current bridge between Detroit and Windsor is 83 14
years old and carries one-fourth of all United States-Canada 15
trade, consisting of 20,000 vehicles and approximately $350 16
million in value daily; and 17

        WHEREAS, Eight million jobs in the United States depend on 18
United States-Canada trade, and therefore 2 million Americans rely 19
for their livelihood on that 83-year old bridge between Detroit 20
and Windsor; and 21

       WHEREAS, Plans are underway to build an additional 22
international border crossing system over the Detroit River, known 23
as the New International Trade Crossing, consisting of a six-lane 24
bridge with three lanes bound for the United States and three 25
lanes bound for Canada, connected to new United States and 26
Canadian inspection plazas; and 27

       WHEREAS, The New International Trade Crossing will have an 28
enormous economic impact on the U.S. economy, creating 10,000 29
construction jobs and more than 25,000 indirect jobs during the 30
construction period in the United States; and 31

       WHEREAS, The State of Michigan and Transport Canada are 32
pursuing a public-private partnership to finance and deliver the 33
New International Trade Crossing; and 34

       WHEREAS, The partnership will be in the form of a long-term 35
concession agreement that will seek to maximize private sector 36
participation and financing by allowing for public ownership of 37
the bridge and private financing, construction, operation, and 38
maintenance of the bridge while protecting the public interest; 39
and 40

       WHEREAS, The State of Michigan needs legislative authority to 41
enter into the public-private partnership and to enter into an 42
agreement with Canada to build the New International Trade 43
Crossing; and 44

       WHEREAS, A modern border crossing that can support the 45
ever-increasing amount of trade and travel between the United 46
States and Canada is essential to the economies of Ohio, the 47
Midwest, and the United States; now therefore be it 48

       RESOLVED, That members of the Ohio Senate do hereby fully 49
support the New International Trade Crossing project and any 50
legislation that will allow for its construction and creation of a 51
public-private partnership to finance and deliver the new border 52
crossing; and be it further 53

       RESOLVED, That the members of the Ohio Senate encourage 54
initiatives that bring investments in communities hosting the New 55
International Trade Crossing project and the entire multistate 56
region, including job creation, environmental improvement, 57
increased trade, and other benefits that improve the quality of 58
life of residents; and be it further 59

       RESOLVED, That the members of the Ohio Senate recognize that 60
the New International Trade Crossing will have an immeasurable 61
economic impact on the State of Ohio and will lay the foundation 62
for future productivity, growth, and economic stability of local 63
economies within Ohio; and be it further 64

       RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly 65
authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of the 66
Michigan Senate, the Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate, the 67
Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, the Minority 68
Leader of the Michigan House of Representatives, the Governor of 69
Michigan, and the Consul General of Canada in Detroit, Michigan. 70

WHEREAS, Canada is the largest foreign trade partner for the	4
United States and the largest export destination for 35 states;	5
and	6

WHEREAS, Ohio's bilateral trade with Canada for the year 2010	8
was $30.9 billion; and	9

WHEREAS, An estimated 301,100 jobs in Ohio are supported by	10
United States-Canada trade; and	11

WHEREAS, Canadians made more than 544,100 visits to Ohio	12
during 2010, spending more than $137 million; and	13

WHEREAS, The current bridge between Detroit and Windsor is 83	14
years old and carries one-fourth of all United States-Canada	15
trade, consisting of 20,000 vehicles and approximately $350	16
million in value daily; and	17

WHEREAS, Eight million jobs in the United States depend on	18
United States-Canada trade, and therefore 2 million Americans rely	19
for their livelihood on that 83-year old bridge between Detroit	20
and Windsor; and	21

WHEREAS, Plans are underway to build an additional	22
international border crossing system over the Detroit River, known	23
as the New International Trade Crossing, consisting of a six-lane	24
bridge with three lanes bound for the United States and three	25
lanes bound for Canada, connected to new United States and	26
Canadian inspection plazas; and	27

WHEREAS, The New International Trade Crossing will have an	28
enormous economic impact on the U.S. economy, creating 10,000	29
construction jobs and more than 25,000 indirect jobs during the	30
construction period in the United States; and	31

WHEREAS, The State of Michigan and Transport Canada are	32
pursuing a public-private partnership to finance and deliver the	33
New International Trade Crossing; and	34

WHEREAS, The partnership will be in the form of a long-term	35
concession agreement that will seek to maximize private sector	36
participation and financing by allowing for public ownership of	37
the bridge and private financing, construction, operation, and	38
maintenance of the bridge while protecting the public interest;	39
and	40

WHEREAS, The State of Michigan needs legislative authority to	41
enter into the public-private partnership and to enter into an	42
agreement with Canada to build the New International Trade	43
Crossing; and	44

WHEREAS, A modern border crossing that can support the	45
ever-increasing amount of trade and travel between the United	46
States and Canada is essential to the economies of Ohio, the	47
Midwest, and the United States; now therefore be it	48

RESOLVED, That members of the Ohio Senate do hereby fully	49
support the New International Trade Crossing project and any	50
legislation that will allow for its construction and creation of a	51
public-private partnership to finance and deliver the new border	52
crossing; and be it further	53

RESOLVED, That the members of the Ohio Senate encourage	54
initiatives that bring investments in communities hosting the New	55
International Trade Crossing project and the entire multistate	56
region, including job creation, environmental improvement,	57
increased trade, and other benefits that improve the quality of	58
life of residents; and be it further	59

RESOLVED, That the members of the Ohio Senate recognize that	60
the New International Trade Crossing will have an immeasurable	61
economic impact on the State of Ohio and will lay the foundation	62
for future productivity, growth, and economic stability of local	63
economies within Ohio; and be it further	64

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly	65
authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of the	66
Michigan Senate, the Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate, the	67
Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, the Minority	68
Leader of the Michigan House of Representatives, the Governor of	69
Michigan, and the Consul General of Canada in Detroit, Michigan.	70