LAREDO, Texas - U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has spelled out the importance of trade with Mexico, not only for South Texas but also the entire Lone Star State.
Cruz’s stance on cross-border trade was made clear in a recent letter sent to Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. In the letter, Cruz and other federal lawmakers point out that Mexico is one of the United States’ most important trading partners.
In reference to the letter, Cruz said: “The lifeblood of South Texas is the roughly $800 billion in goods that cross the border with Mexico, and it supports jobs throughout the Lone Star State.”
The letter urged Blinken to quickly implement a key provision in the recently enacted National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 that advances several international bridge projects in Texas.
The four projects are: the World Trade Bridge Expansion Project in Laredo, Webb County; the Flor de Mayo International Bridge in Cameron County; the Laredo 4/5 International Bridge in Webb County; and the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge in Maverick County.
In addition, streamlining of the presidential permitting process will also allow expansion of the Colombia International Bridge in Laredo. A request for this permit is expected soon.
The urging came in the form of a letter from Cruz, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, and U.S. Representatives Vicente Gonzalez, Henry Cuellar, Monica De La Cruz, Tony Gonzales, and Joaquin Castro.
“It is vital that the State Department adhere to the requirements of Section 5414 of the NDAA and expeditiously recommend to the president that he grant the presidential permits for these critical international bridge projects,” the senators and representatives wrote, in their Jan. 17, 2024 letter.
“The sooner the president approves the presidential permits for these projects, the sooner these projects will deliver more jobs, make supply chains more efficient, and improve relations with Mexico.”
Language authored by Sen. Cruz and Rep. Cuellar was added to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 that streamlines the process for issuing presidential permits for international bridges.
Previously, environmental clearance had to be obtained before the process for awarding a presidential permit could begin. Now, the permit can be issued subject to the completion of environmental clearance. This can shave many months off the timeline for securing a presidential permit.
Support for the streamlined process has come from the Texas Association of Business, the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Laredo Motor Carriers Association, the Border Trade Alliance, the American Trucking Association, the Texas Trucking Association, and the Texas International Produce Association.
In their letter to Blinken, the legislators point out that Mexico is one of the United States’s most important trading partners with nearly $800 billion in goods exchanged in 2022. “These international bridges will expand such trade, creating vital jobs and economic opportunities in the Texas border region and helping improve supply chains across our country,” the legislators wrote.
In reference to the letter, Sen. Cruz said: “Now that our bipartisan legislation to expedite the permitting of South Texas cross-border bridges has become law, it is critical that the Biden administration swiftly implements this provision and grants the presidential permits for these critical projects. The lifeblood of South Texas is the roughly $800 billion in goods that cross the border with Mexico, and it supports jobs throughout the Lone Star State.”
Cruz added: “I am thankful to Congressman Cuellar and to all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have worked to get this common-sense legislation signed into law, and look forward to seeing progress on these bridges begin immediately.”
In reference to the letter, Rep. Cuellar said: “Laredo is the nation’s busiest port of entry, and recent changes to the Presidential permitting process will ensure that proposed construction projects at the World Trade Bridge, Colombia Solidarity Bridge, and other bridges along the US-Mexico border avoid unnecessary construction delays. I joined this bipartisan letter with my colleagues to emphasize that the Administration needs to act expeditiously in implementing this provision to expand our ports of entry.”
Here is the letter:
January 17, 2024
The Honorable Antony Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Mr. Secretary:
We are writing to urge you to quickly implement a key provision in the recently enacted National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (NDAA) that advances several international bridge projects in Texas. As you are aware, Mexico is one of the United States’s most important trading partners with nearly $800 billion in goods exchanged in 2022. These international bridges will expand such trade, creating vital jobs and economic opportunities in the Texas border region and helping improve supply chains across our country.
Section 5414 of the NDAA establishes a clear process for the administration to issue presidential permits for international bridge projects in three counties in Texas. Specifically, the provision applies to applications for international bridge projects submitted between December 1, 2020, and December 31, 2024, in Webb, Cameron, and Maverick counties in Texas. There are currently four international bridge projects eligible under this provision: the World Trade Bridge Expansion Project in Laredo, Webb County; the Flor de Mayo International Bridge in Cameron County; the Laredo 4/5 International Bridge in Webb County; and the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge in Maverick County. Another permit application to expand the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge in Webb County may also be filed soon.
Under this provision, the State Department has 60 days to recommend to the president whether he should approve or deny the applications for a presidential permit. For applications submitted prior to enactment of this provision, that timeline starts on the date of enactment of the NDAA (December 22, 2023). Further, the provision makes clear that the basis for your recommendation,“shall be whether the international bridge is in the foreign policy interests of the United States,” (emphasis added). It is clear the relevant international bridges in Texas are in the foreign policy interest of the United States given they will strengthen ties with our southern neighbor and bring benefits to international trade, supply chains, economic development, and job creation. After you have given the president your recommendation, the president will have 60 days to approve or deny the applications for presidential permits. As part of the permitting process, the administration cannot require an applicant to have first completed National Environmental Policy Act2 reviews. However, the provision makes clear that the applicants must complete the environmental reviews prior to project construction, just as is required for domestic bridge projects. Further, the provision gives the president the authority to condition an approved presidential permit on the project sponsor completing all environmental reviews.
It is vital that the State Department adhere to the requirements of Section 5414 of the NDAA and expeditiously recommend to the president that he grant the presidential permits for these critical international bridge projects. The sooner the president approves the presidential permits for these projects, the sooner these projects will deliver more jobs, make supply chains more efficient, and improve relations with Mexico.
Sincerely,
Ted Cruz
US Senator
John Cornyn
US Senator
Vicente Gonzalez
US Representative
Henry Cuellar
US Representative
Monica De La Cruz
US Representative
Tony Gonzales
US Representative
Joaquin Castro
US Representative
