Leading cross-border trade group protested key border infrastructure office’s closing this summer
PHOENIX – The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) today applauded a decision by the General Services Administration to reinstate the land border ports of entry office it shuttered earlier this summer.
The division’s closing came on the heels of the routing of millions of dollars in stimulus funds to improvements at small, low-traffic land border ports of entry earlier this year, while more pressing needs at high volume ports went unmet.
“After what has been in many ways a disappointing year for border communities seeking upgrades to their outdated and overburdened port facilities, this comes as very welcome news,” BTA Chair Kathy Neal said. “The BTA was very vocal in its opposition to the way financial resources were being directed to border infrastructure needs, so we’re pleased that it looks like Washington is listening.”
New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman was key in urging GSA to reconsider its earlier organizational decision, and many other elected officials throughout the border region also voiced their displeasure with GSA’s move earlier this year.
“Sen. Bingaman deserves the thanks of all border communities for his commitment to seeing that our nation’s busiest land border ports of entry get the resources they need,” Neal said. “Our government must recognize that our ports of entry should foster the efficient movement of legitimate trade and travel in addition to meeting our nation’s security needs, and should do so in as fiscally responsible a way as possible.”
