AP Wire Service

Michigan's congressional delegation is asking President Bush for $15 million in emergency funds to keep the National Guard along the state's border with Canada.

There are about 60 National Guard members helping move traffic across the border under increased security, but funding to keep them there runs out Wednesday.

For the first days following the Sept. 11 attacks, delays were 12-15 hours at Michigan's border crossings because of heightened security. Gov. John Engler quickly assigned Michigan National Guard members to help ease delays.

``Delays in excess of 12 hours for trucks carrying auto parts is unacceptable,'' said Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, senior member of the Michigan delegation.

``Plants have already been idled because of the heightened security measures. Without the proper staffing levels in place, virtually every industry that relies on just-in-time parts delivery could grind to a halt,'' he said.

More than $1 billion of goods and services cross the northern border every day, the largest flow of commerce between two countries anywhere in the world.

The Ambassador Bridge, which links Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, is the busiest U.S.-Canada entry point, with more than 12 million vehicles crossing a year.

Border guards have been putting in extra hours since the attacks to secure a 4,000-mile stretch between the United States and Canada.

An anti-terrorism spending bill that passed Congress last week includes $100 million to triple the personnel securing the border.

The Bush administration has not committed to the proposal, saying demands on the money are high in the wake of the attacks.

In another attempt to improve the flow of border traffic, Canadian and American officials will meet later this week in Washington to discuss ways the customs process could be made both smooth and secure, Canadian Revenue Minister Martin Cauchon said Monday.

One of the tools being pushed by Canada is reinstatement of the Nexus computer system, which gives low-risk, pre-approved users a simplified entry process into both Canada and the United States.

The pilot project started last November at the Blue Water Bridge connecting Point Edward, Ont., with Port Huron, Mich.

It was operated jointly by Canadian and American customs and immigration services.

The special lanes were closed following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as both countries reviewed security along their joint border.

Cauchon and Paul Cellucci, U.S. ambassador to Canada, agreed on Monday that this type of technology is key to reducing delays at the border.

``I do believe that programs like Nexus is the way of the future,'' Cauchon said after meeting with Cellucci in Sarnia, Ont., to discuss the crippling impact of the terrorist attacks on cross-border commerce and travel.

Businesses in Sarnia and other border communities have been hit hard by customs delays and American visitors opting to stay home.

Cellucci called Nexus an excellent example of using technology to get low-risk passenger cars and commercial vehicles out of lineups so customs inspectors can spend their time dealing with the more high risk traveler.

``It has the virtue of being a very secure program while at the same time it facilitates the commerce,'' said Cellucci.

``This is obviously what we want, particularly in this time of high alert, so this is a program that has come a long way and is symbolic of what we can do all across the United States and Canada border.''