WASHINGTON – The Border Trade Alliance, which over the past several years has advocated for the adoption of a long-term highway bill that reflects the unique needs of the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico border regions, is cheering the passage of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which will drive dramatic improvements to the nation’s transportation infrastructure, including along the borders. A delegation from the BTA was on Capitol Hill this week as the five-year highway funding reauthorization bill made its way to final passage.

BTA Chairman Jesse Hereford of San Antonio, who directs government affairs and business development for S&B Infrastructure, and Russ Jones, the BTA’s vice-chairman and the president of RL Jones Customhouse Brokers, Inc., which has operations in the Rio Grande Valley, released the following statement hailing the passage of the fiveyear legislation:

“Last night’s passage of a long-term transportation bill proves that Congress can still accomplish big things and do so in a bipartisan way. This legislation is critically important for our country’s border regions, which are struggling to ensure that their infrastructure keeps pace with today’s trade volumes.

“The Border Trade Alliance thanks Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Henry Cuellar, Rep. Will Hurd, Rep. Michael McCaul and Rep. Beto O’Rourke for working together to include language in the final bill that allows governors of border states the flexibility to direct transportation funding to border region projects that help alleviate bottlenecks and congestion and promote the safe and efficient movement of freight.

“The passage of this transportation bill was a long time coming. Border state departments of transportation and communities from San Diego to Brownsville, and northern border cities like Detroit and Buffalo, for too long have been unable to make infrastructure plans for the long-term, and they have seen backups around their ports of entry only grow as a result. Many in Texas’ border delegation deserve credit for getting this deal done, as do Sen. Barbara Boxer, the ranking member on the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Rep. Bill Shuster, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who was always willing to listen to the concerns of the border.

“Thanks to Rep. Cuellar, this bill also ensures that the federal government will properly define trade corridors as beginning and ending at land border ports of entry, while also providing funding for freight mobility and connection to the interstate highway system.”

“Determining how to pay for this bill was the major point of debate over the many, many months Congress grappled with this bill. One mechanism that was arrived at was using Customs fees. We believe that any funds generated by Customs and Border Protection that are used to help fund this bill should find their way back to the border. If the agency responsible for the facilitation of trade is going to help pay for transportation, then at the very least those funds should be used for trade-facilitating projects.

“The BTA was on Capitol Hill this week meeting with members of the conference committee as the bill made its final steps toward passage. This result is a big win for the border, and we look forward to it receiving the president’s swift signature.”