Act seeks to help public-private deals, not add to deficit 

Up in Washington, D.C., John Cornyn, R-Texas, is busy trying to pass a bill that would positively impact border cities.

The bill, called the “Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act,” would encourage public-private partnerships with U.S. Customs and Border Protection or the General Services Administration to boost staffing and make infrastructure improvements at U.S. ports of entry without adding to the deficit.

It cleared the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee this week, and the committee’s version “largely mirrors the substance of Sen. Cornyn’s introduced legislation,” according to a Cornyn aide.

“A robust economic relationship with Mexico is critical to both the Texas and U.S. economies, and public-private partnerships can help boost legitimate trade and travel at our ports of entry,” Cornyn said in a news release. “I appreciate Chairman Johnson’s commitment to this important issue and will continue to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this bill through the Senate.”

The bill will create a more permanent version of partnership tools already in place in a number of Texas communities, including Cameron County, Pharr, McAllen, Laredo and Rio Grande City.

Thanks to a pilot program introduced in 2013, these cities have adopted and implemented enhanced staffing partnerships with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Pharr and Donna also were selected for the first phase of priority infrastructure projects under the pilot program.

If the bill passes, it will provide more certainty and stability to those interested in partnering with CBP or the GSA.

The bill has been endorsed by a number of agencies and cities, including the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Border Trade Alliance, the Texas Border Coaliton, the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, Cameron County and the cities of Mission, McAllen, Harlingen and Pharr.

The partnerships have shown positive results at various air, land and sea ports throughout Texas, reducing wait times, according to a Cornyn aide.

“Our relationship with Mexico is a product of not only our history but also our geography … One of the most positive parts is our trade relationship with Mexico, which sustains as many as six million jobs in the U.S.,” Cornyn said.

Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, is the lead sponsor of the companion bill in the House of Representatives.