Urges Senate and GSA to Expedite Delivery of Critical Border Infrastructure
Wednesday, July 23, 2008, Washington, D.C. - In a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, responsible for Department of Homeland Security and General Services Administration (GSA) oversight, Border Trade Alliance (BTA) urged expedited fulfillment of infrastructure projects at U.S. land ports of entry (POE), vital to North American economic activity. Overburdened and aging infrastructure at U.S. POEs, combined with new security checks, is now unable to sustainably support an explosive increase in surface trade, up 172% since 1993, totaling $797 billion last year between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners. The result of which is massive congestion at our borders to the detriment of millions of lost dollars per day in supply chain inefficiencies, worker time, damaged goods, lost tourism, negative environmental impacts, and wasted fuel.
While Congress has appropriated funds to both DHS and GSA toward their respective efforts at our land ports, BTA specifically urges the Senate Committee to press GSA and presumptive Administrator Jim Williams, who may be appointed after a Senate hearing this Thursday, to utilize any remaining FY08 funding to expedite the delivery of current port infrastructure projects, as well as fulfill previously outlined strategies and commitments to furthering investment in upgraded and improved infrastructure at U.S. land ports to correspond with the significant boom in trade at our Northern and Southern borders.
“GSA has made great strides and taken positive steps toward delivering much needed border infrastructure, however we need to continue to stress the importance of land ports of entry to our national economy.” said Maria Luisa O’Connell, President of the BTA.
Earlier this year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Assistant Commissioner Thomas Winkowski, acknowledged the need to modernize land border facilities and reduce delays entering the country, calling for infrastructure improvements totaling a minimum of $500 million per year for the next 10 years to enhance and upgrade U.S. land border crossings in order to best fulfill its primary mission of facilitating the efficient and secure movement of people and goods.
BTA feels the Senate, GSA, and the nation should be alarmed by recent statistics that illustrate the economic impacts of inadequate border infrastructure and cross-border congestion. According to the Texas Transportation Institute’s 2007 Urban Mobility Report, congestion caused urban Americans to travel 4.2 billion hours more and to purchase an extra 2.9 billion gallons of fuel for a total estimated cost of $78 billion, with border regions being some of the most affected. In 2006, El Paso had 749,000 trucks northbound crossing from Mexico. The average truck endures an average one hour delay, with delays of up to four hours not uncommon, costing shippers more than $100 million annually.
