Rep. Peter Welch sent out an e-mail with news that the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee promised to ask the Obama administration to halt plans for an expansion to the border crossing at Morses Line that would take land from the Rainville farm.

The way the federal government is handling the project doesn't sit well with local residents, and they let representatives of the local U.S. Customs and Border Protection know it at a recent meeting.

The pledge followed testimony by a very well spoken Brian Rainville, whose family owns the farm.

WASHINGTON, DC – House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) called for a halt to a proposed expansion of the Morse's Line(sic) port of entry Wednesday following testimony from Franklin resident Brian Rainville.

Introduced by Rep. Peter Welch during a hearing on the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Rainville testified against a project sited on land owned by his family.

Following Rainville's remarks, Chairman Oberstar pledged to write Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and request that the proposed project be dropped.

"Today a Vermonter was heard, and today a Vermonter made a difference," Welch said. "The process that led to this proposal has failed the family, failed the contractors, failed the community and failed the test of how Vermonters do business. I'm thankful to Brian for his moving testimony and to Chairman Oberstar for listening."

Click here for video of Rainville's testimony, Welch's introduction and Chairman Oberstar's remarks.