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Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) joined Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Carter (R-TX31) to applaud Customs and Border Protection (CBP), for its significant allocation of additional customs officers to ports along the Texas-Mexico border.  The Fiscal Year 2014 budget provided funds for an additional 2,000 men and women in blue who facilitate lawful trade and travel at our nation’s ports of entry.  A significant portion of the additional officers will be allocated to the Laredo and Hidalgo/Pharr bridges. 

"Increasing the number of men and women in blue who man our border is a tremendous step towards fostering trade and commerce and supporting our border communities," said Congressman Cuellar. "These increases at ports of entry at Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley will allow more trade to cross the border every day, which brings in revenue for our local communities, creates economic growth, and provides good paying jobs for hardworking border residents. I thank Homeland Security Appropriations Committee Chairman John Carter and Ranking Member David Price for their support of this increase and look forward to continuing to work together."

“Facilitating trade and travel results in millions of American jobs and supports our economy, which is why I fought to budget for these additional officers," said Chairman Carter. "I will be monitoring CBP’s deployment plan to be sure the officers are well-trained and located in the places that need them most."

Laredo is the largest land port of entry in the United States, accounting for 44.91 percent of all U.S. – Mexico trade.  About 12,000 commercial trucks cross the World Trade Bridge and Columbia Bridge in Laredo each day.  According to a Department of Commerce study, in 2008, border delays at the five busiest southern border POEs, which includes Laredo, cost the U.S. economy 26,000 jobs and $6 billion dollars in output.  The increased CBP officers at ports of entry will speed up customs clearance, aiding in the flow of traffic and spurring economic development.