[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6036-6037]
[From the U.S. 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)--
       (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.

[[Page 6037]]

  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 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.

                          ____________________