[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 37 (Thursday, March 14, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E297]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           INTRODUCING THE CROSS-BORDER TRADE ENHANCEMENT ACT

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                           HON. BETO O'ROURKE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 14, 2013

  Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to help introduce the Cross-
Border Trade Enhancement Act (H.R. 1108), a bill that will create jobs 
and facilitate trade at no cost to the Federal Government. I am proud 
to join Congressman Cuellar and McCaul in moving forward with this 
bipartisan bill.
  El Paso, the city I represent, and other border communities rely on 
cross border trade for their economic vitality. Each year, $80 billion 
in trade flows through El Paso's ports of entry. Residents of our 
sister city, Ciudad Juarez, annually contribute $2 billion to El Paso's 
economy. In the El Paso region alone, this trade supports 100,000 jobs. 
Nationally, 6 million jobs are a direct product of bi-lateral trade 
between the U.S. and Mexico. Since 1990 this trade has grown by 600 
percent and continues to increase each year. Unfortunately, capacity at 
our ports of entry has not kept pace. Despite increased staffing and 
use of technology, waits at our ports of entry are often unpredictable 
and unacceptably long. This harms our economy and our way of life along 
the border. We have friends and family and sometimes jobs on the other 
side and we need to be able to cross in a timely manner.
  The Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act is a proactive first step to 
finding a solution to this problem. By authorizing public-private 
partnerships, this legislation would provide The Customs and Border 
Patrol (CBP) with effective new tools to improve infrastructure, expand 
capacity, and increase staffing at our ports of entry without creating 
new costs for taxpayers. For example, under this bill, the City of El 
Paso would have the ability to raise funds and enter into a partnership 
with CBP to cooperatively help fund increased staffing at our ports of 
entry. This could help keep all the lanes on one of our local bridges 
open for a longer period of time.
  As Washington operates under serious fiscal constraints, we need this 
legislation more than ever. Earlier this month, as a result of 
sequestration, CBP officers along our border received furlough notices 
of 14 days. Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, has 
warned that failing to undo sequestration cuts could lead to 4 or 5 
hour wait times at our ports of entry. The reality is clear--Congress 
is unlikely to provide the resources we need to facilitate the legal 
and efficient flow of goods and people across our borders. We need 
innovative policies that allow communities who depend on cross-border 
trade to find creative solutions to our fiscal problems. The Cross-
Border Trade Enhancement Act is such a solution. At a time of 
heightened partisanship, this legislation is proof that when Democrats 
and Republicans work together, we can advance common sense ideas.
  We need a 21st Century border policy that not only secures our 
border, but also recognizes the significance the border and our 
partnership with Mexico represent for our country and the economy. The 
Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act is an important part of that policy. 
I urge all of my colleagues to join with me in supporting this critical 
legislation.

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