DALLAS, Texas - Daniel Silva, president and CEO of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, says the recent 2025 RGV Legislative Tour was an outstanding success.
Over 70 state lawmakers and their staff participated in the four-day event, which took in visits to various establishments in Hidalgo and Starr counties.
“We had lots of panels set up. We had educational tours set up, and really, there were topics that we as a region needed to focus on,” Silva said, in an exclusive interview with the Rio Grande Guardian.
“These legislators are taking office now. They're getting their committee assignments. There are a lot of freshmen. I think there's 35 freshmen on the House side. So what our responsibility is, as an advocate of the region, is to get them exposed to who we are.”
Silva said the panel discussions were particularly impactful.
“We were able to talk about water, talk about energy, economic development, workforce development, logistics, transportation. They all left with a newfound understanding of what our region is all about. It was just a great opportunity for them to learn about us.”
Silva said he believes the tour accomplished its goals.
“A lot of them (the legislators) told me before they left… when we're crafting legislation, we're going to remember who the Rio Grande Valley is, and we're here to help you. So, the feedback was fantastic.”
One funny incident that occurred, Silva said, was when some of the legislators asked if they needed their passports to cross through the border wall. They thought the wall was the physical border with Mexico.
“They were still in the United States. They were able to see that there is still property on the southern side of the border wall. It gave them an understanding that this is not a terrible place to live. They were able to see our economy and able to see how vibrant we were and all the jobs that we had.”
Here, below, is a video recording of the interview with Daniel Silva. In the interview, Silva gives a shoutout to the sponsors that helped make the 2025 RGV Legislative Tour possible.
