Tom Ridge, the first secretary of the
Dept. of Homeland Security, has teamed with the Discover America Partnership to evaluate
how the U.S. can improve its entry process at its borders and to
propose a better accord between secure borders and an open-door
policy.
Ridge will work
with the partnership on a number of projects including an
assessment of U.S. border and facilitation issues and an analysis
of the U.S. visa process and its effect on Americas
economy.
The announcement
by the partnership comes nearly a month after it issued the results
of a survey indicating
inbound travelers are more afraid of U.S. government officials than
the threat of terrorism or crime. The survey of inbound travelers
also showed two-thirds feared they would be detained at the U.S.
border because of a simple mistake or misstatement.
"Governor Ridge
is one of the most knowledgeable and credible experts on security
and entry policies and the Discover America Partnership will
benefit greatly from his involvement," said Steve Porter, president
of InterContinental Hotels Group, the Americas, and chairman of the
Discover America Partnership.
"We are looking
forward to working with Governor Ridge to offer policymakers
concrete ideas for improving the U.S. entry process and
strengthening our image around the world. We must restore America
as a desired destination among international business and leisure
travelers."
Ridge, who
previously served as governor of Pennsylvania, was appointed
assistant secretary for Homeland Security in October 2001. He
served as secretary of the Dept. of Homeland Security from January
2003 to February 2005.
Established in
September, the Discover America Partnership was formed by an array
of businesses ranging from Anheuser-Busch to Walt Disney Parks
& Resorts.
It aims to alert
U.S. policymakers of the waning image of the U.S. and to offer
strategies to improve it.
To contact reporter Michael Milligan, send e-mail to [email protected].