Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), Senior Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, secured an additional $15 million in the draft FY25 House Homeland Security funding bill to expand Laredo’s Border Patrol Checkpoint 29 on Interstate 35, a frequent point of traffic delays.

Since Rep. Cuellar already secured an initial $15 million in FY24, this new funding will bring the funding level to $30 million once a final bill passes in Congress and is signed into law.

“The current conditions at Checkpoint 29 in Laredo are unsustainable for Border Patrol and the public. If this checkpoint were a port of entry, it would be the fourth largest in the nation with thousands of trucks passing through each day. Due to the small number of inspection lanes, this has caused significant delays,” said Dr. Cuellar. “As a senior member of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, I am working to address the concerns of my constituents. I am pleased that this additional $15 million will be used for the first phase to expand Checkpoint 29, which will strengthen international commerce, improve public safety, and reduce drug and human trafficking in South Texas.”

This funding will continue the first phase of a long-term expansion project to address congestion at the checkpoint by adding one passenger vehicle inspect on lane, which will nearly triple the commercial vehicle inspection capacity. The funding will also be used for the planning and design phase of a long-term expansion, which eventually hopes to add an additional nine passenger lanes.

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