[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 77 (Monday, May 16, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H2397-H2399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING AUTHORITY TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE A TOLL BRIDGE ACROSS THE
RIO GRANDE
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(S. 2143) to provide for the authority for the successors and assigns
of the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and operate a toll
bridge across the Rio Grande near Rio Grande City, Texas, and for other
purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 2143
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. STARR-CAMARGO BRIDGE.
Public Law 87-532 (76 Stat. 153) is amended--
(1) in the first section, in subsection (a)(2)--
[[Page H2398]]
(A) by inserting ``, and its successors and assigns,''
after ``State of Texas'';
(B) by inserting ``consisting of not more than 14 lanes''
after ``approaches thereto''; and
(C) by striking ``and for a period of sixty-six years from
the date of completion of such bridge,'';
(2) in section 2, by inserting ``and its successors and
assigns,'' after ``companies'';
(3) by redesignating sections 3, 4, and 5 as sections 4, 5,
and 6, respectively;
(4) by inserting after section 2 the following:
``SEC. 3. RIGHTS OF STARR-CAMARGO BRIDGE COMPANY AND
SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.
``(a) In General.--The Starr-Camargo Bridge Company and its
successors and assigns shall have the rights and privileges
granted to the B and P Bridge Company and its successors and
assigns under section 2 of the Act of May 1, 1928 (45 Stat.
471, chapter 466).
``(b) Requirement.--In exercising the rights and privileges
granted under subsection (a), the Starr-Camargo Bridge
Company and its successors and assigns shall act in
accordance with--
``(1) just compensation requirements;
``(2) public proceeding requirements; and
``(3) any other requirements applicable to the exercise of
the rights referred to in subsection (a) under the laws of
the State of Texas.''; and
(5) in section 4 (as redesignated by paragraph (3))--
(A) by inserting ``and its successors and assigns,'' after
``such company'';
(B) by striking ``or'' after ``public agency,'';
(C) by inserting ``or to a corporation,'' after
``international bridge authority or commission,''; and
(D) by striking ``authority, or commission'' each place it
appears and inserting ``authority, commission, or
corporation''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and to extend their remarks and to
include any extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2143, the Starr-Camargo Bridge
act, introduced by Senator Cornyn and by Representative Cuellar of
Texas. With today's passage, this bill goes to the President's desk for
signature.
The Starr-Camargo Bridge act grants permanent authority to continue
operating and maintaining the international bridge that connects Rio
Grande City, Texas, with Mexican cities such as Monterrey and Mexico
City. This bridge is one of 28 vehicle border crossings on the Texas-
Mexico border and one of two privately owned crossing facilities. The
Starr-Camargo Bridge has had continued growth in commercial traffic
since 2009, and it plays an important role in facilitating legitimate
trade and travel in the region.
This bill, S. 2143, would permanently extend the authority for the
Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to operate the bridge. It would grant the
bridge company the same rights and privileges already granted to this
body to the B and P Bridge Company in Progreso, Texas. By granting this
authority, we would be incentivizing the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company
to continue maintaining and expanding the bridge's capacity to keep up
with growing trade and commerce along the Texas border with Mexico.
This legislation received the full support of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs when it was marked up last month.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this measure, and
I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me once again thank our chairman, Ed Royce, for
bringing forward this bipartisan measure and for his continued good
leadership on the committee. I also want to thank the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Cuellar), my good friend, who introduced the House version
of this legislation which has already passed the Senate.
When it comes to our southern neighbor, Mexico, lately we have been
hearing far too much about building walls. Mexico is a critically
important partner to the United States. Our people share long, close
ties, so we should be talking about building bridges, Mr. Speaker, not
building walls.
A few weeks ago, the Senate helped build a bridge by confirming a new
Ambassador to Mexico, Roberta Jacobson. This was long overdue. She is
excellent, and we are glad to have her on her way to Mexico City now.
Today, with this bill, we are talking about, quite literally,
strengthening a bridge between the United States and Mexico in the
years ahead. The Starr-Camargo Bridge connects Rio Grande, Texas, with
Monterrey and Ciudad Camargo in Mexico. The legal authority to operate
this bridge will expire in 16 years. That may seem like a long way off,
but as a result of that end date, we have already started to see a
constraint in long-term investments. This bill would eliminate that
expiration date.
We have done the same thing before. The Weslaco-Progreso
International Bridge once had a sunsetting authorization, and Congress
acted to lift that deadline.
This bill doesn't cost the U.S. taxpayers a penny, but it does clear
the way for this bridge to remain an important conduit between our
countries for years to come. It also sends an important message from
those of us actually responsible for making laws and advancing American
foreign policy.
Mexico is an extremely important partner to the United States, and
bridges--not barriers--will help that friendship to thrive. I support
this measure.
I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1645
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Cuellar).
Mr. CUELLAR. I thank my friend for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank Chairman Ed Royce for his
leadership and for the help of his staff on this particular bill.
Also, I thank my friend, the ranking member, Mr. Eliot Engel, and his
staff also for supporting and helping us on this particular bill.
As the lead sponsor of this bill, I rise in support of this
legislation. Mr. Speaker, this bill will provide equity in the law and
removes a level of uncertainty.
In 1962, Congress authorized the Starr-Camargo International Bridge
Company to construct, operate, and maintain the private toll bridge
between the United States and Mexico near Rio Grande City, which is a
city in my district.
Congress, in drafting this original authorization, included a sunset
clause of 66 years. In doing so, Congress left a level of uncertainty
in the law, as it did not state what should happen to the bridge once
the 66 years went by.
Congress has authorized private toll bridges or other bridges along
the U.S.-Mexico border before, yet previously had not included this
sunset on the authorization. This sunset clause, while still a number
of years away, has already begun to create issues for the owner and
operator of the Starr-Camargo Bridge bill.
Due to this uncertainty around what should happen to this bridge
should the authorization lapse, they are unable to get much-needed
long-term financing to make improvements and finance the long-term
maintenance and operations of the bridge. This bill will give the
Starr-Camargo Bridge permanent status.
The Starr-Camargo Bridge plays an important role in our Nation's
commerce and the economy of south Texas. The bridge supports 200 to 300
commercial trucks per day, consisting of construction materials as well
as fresh fruits and vegetables coming north and machinery, oil, and
recyclable products going south. The bridge further supports the
crossing of around 4,000 cars a day.
Today the United States trades an estimated $531 billion in goods and
services with Mexico, our Nation's third largest trading partner, and
this trade is only expected to grow in the future. In order for our
Nation to take
[[Page H2399]]
full advantage of this trade, we must be clear in these sorts of
uncertainties in the law.
This bill, by ending the authorization's sunset, will afford the
bridge greater opportunities to pursue and finance projects that will
enhance and expand the capacity of the bridge and supporting facilities
and further improve trade between the United States and Mexico.
I would like to thank Senator Cornyn for working with me on this
legislation and for taking that lead and, as I said a few minutes ago,
Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for their support as well as
their staffs.
I also would like to thank local leaders, Starr County Judge Eloy
Vera and State Representative Ryan Guillen, for their support of this
legislation.
I ask my colleagues to support this important bill.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, in closing, again I want to emphasize that
Mexico is a vital partner to the United States in terms of trade,
security, and a wide range of regional concerns. We need to keep all
the channels between our countries flowing, and that includes the
physical connections between the U.S. and Mexico.
This bill would help strengthen an important bridge between our
countries and, at the same time, signal just how important we consider
this friendship. I support this measure. I thank the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Cuellar).
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I want to thank Representative Cuellar for his steadfast leadership
to ensure the House's consideration of this legislation and that we
move forward on this.
I thought I would also point out that this bill comes at no cost to
the taxpayer. What it does instead is incentivizes the private sector
to invest and maintain this important commercial border crossing. That
is the point here.
While the actual end date for the bridge's authority is still some
years away, the lack of that permanent authority has already begun to
constrain the financing of long-term improvements that will help make
the crossing more efficient and secure.
So I thank Mr. Cuellar again and, also, Mr. Castro and Mr. Poe, both
members of the committee who have also been strong supporters.
I thank Mr. Engel for helping to ensure that our border
infrastructure is maintained and modernized to keep pace with the
growing legitimate commercial activity across our southern border.
I encourage my colleagues to support this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 2143.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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