Standing with Western New York Leaders, Kennedy Calls on Full House to Pass the NEXUS for Families Act

This press release from Representative Timothy M. Kennedy (D-NY) was published on 2026-07-09 and titled "Standing with Western New York Leaders, Kennedy Calls on Full House to Pass the NEXUS for Families Act".

Standing with Western New York Leaders, Kennedy Calls on Full House to Pass the NEXUS for Families Act

Following Unanimous Committee Approval, a Broad Coalition of Tourism, Business, and Cultural Organizations Urge Immediate Action to Cut Bureaucratic Red Tape for Border Communities BUFFALO, N.Y. – Today, standing alongside a diverse coalition of some of Western New York’s top economic, cultural, and tourism leaders at the foot of the Peace Bridge crossing to Canada, Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) called on the House of Representatives to immediately pass H.R. 9382 , the NEXUS for Families Act. The push comes on the heels of the legislation successfully passing unanimously through the House Committee on Homeland Security last month. Surrounded by endorsing organizations in Buffalo, Kennedy emphasized the urgent need to eliminate the bureaucratic hurdles families currently face when applying for NEXUS passes, a vital tool that currently helps over 2.2 million vetted travelers cross the border between the United States and Canada. “Standing here today with the leaders who drive Western New York’s cultural and economic engines, the message to Washington is clear: it is time to pass the NEXUS for Families Act,” said Congressman Kennedy . “Traveling with a family is difficult enough even without adding the burden of multiple visits to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities for individual NEXUS interviews. In our region, visits to and from Canada are a routine activity that fuels our local economy. By streamlining the application and interview process, we’re cutting red tape and encouraging the cross-border travel and tourism that our local businesses and attractions rely on. This is common-sense legislation, and the House must bring it to a vote.” Under current regulations, parents must submit a separate application for each family member. This leads to a dysfunctional system where a child might receive approval while a parent is delayed, or vice versa. Families cannot currently interview together and must bring even young children to CBP facilities for individual screening, resulting in multiple, highly inconvenient trips to enrollment centers. The NEXUS for Families Act modernizes the process by requiring CBP to: Link family applications together, ensuring households are processed as a unit. Allow joint scheduling, so agents can conduct interviews for the entire household concurrently. Exempt children under age 14 from the interview process when appropriate, expediting approvals for all participating family members. "Our partnership with Canada is fundamental to Buffalo's economy and to the everyday lives of many Western New Yorkers," Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said. "Whether people are crossing the border for work, shopping, recreation, or to visit family, making that experience more efficient strengthens the ties that have long benefited communities on both sides of the border. I commend Congressman Kennedy for his leadership on this common-sense legislation to reduce unnecessary barriers for families participating in the NEXUS program." New York State Senator April N.M. Baskin said, “Every day, thousands of Western New Yorkers cross the border to visit family and friends, travel for work, attend sporting events and concerts, or simply enjoy everything our Canadian neighbors have to offer. The NEXUS for Families Act is a commonsense improvement that will make travel easier for families while preserving the security standards that travelers expect and continuing the strong cross-border relationship that has long been vital to Western New York.” “For Western New York families and our neighbors to the north, the border is part of everyday life,” said New York State Senator Jeremy Zellner . “NEXUS helps keep our communities connected, and this commonsense legislation makes the program more accessible for parents and children while maintaining strong border security. I thank Congressman Kennedy for his leadership and urge Congress to move this bill forward.” Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “For families in Western New York, crossing the border into Canada isn’t just an occasional trip. Whether visiting relatives, attending events, shopping, or supporting local tourism, families deserve a NEXUS application process that works for them, not against them. Congressman Kennedy’s legislation takes a common-sense approach by reducing unnecessary paperwork, streamlining interviews, and making it easier for families to enroll and travel together. As someone who represents a community with deep ties to Canada, I applaud Congressman Kennedy for advancing this bipartisan effort to strengthen cross-border connectivity and support the economic and cultural relationship that has long united Western New York and our Canadian neighbors.” “As a current nexus pass holder, I understand the benefits for me and my family’s travel,” said Common Councilmember Rasheed N.C. Wyatt . “To expand this service to exempt children could be a game changer for families traveling trying to navigate the borders and TSA check points more exped