ICYMI: Op-ed Praises Sen. Cruz for I-27 Law
AUSTIN, Texas (Texas Insider Report) — The president of the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance, James Beauchap, wrote an important op-ed that was published in the Midland Reporter-Telegram last Friday and talks about the import of the legislation bringing I-27 into the Federal Highway Program. Texas Senator Ted Cruz authored the legislation – as the Ranking Member of the Senate's Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee – which has now become law.
In Case You Missed It, in his article, Beauchamp wrote of the effort:
“Years ago, while we were working to build momentum for creating I-27, we ran into some roadblocks. I set up a meeting with Senator Ted Cruz to ask for some assistance. Immediately, he sprung into action and went above and beyond.
"Instead of just offering to help, he offered to take up the cause of I-27 and lead the fight to get it done. He worked closely with leaders across the Lone Star State to build a coalition of strong advocates for Texas. His effort paid off, and Senator Cruz’s I-27 Numbering Act was recently signed into law.“What impressed me most about working with Senator Cruz was his ability to work with folks across the aisle to deliver for Texas. The media loves to paint Senator Cruz as a partisan bomb-thrower, but that is not at all the person I got to know. Instead, I saw a champion for Texas who is willing to do whatever it takes to advocate for the Lone Star State: whether that is fighting in the arena of public opinion or building bridges with unlikely allies. On the I-27 project... they worked together seamlessly to deliver on this massive victory for their states.”
- READ MORE: Sen. Cruz Highlights the Impacts of His I-27 Numbering Act Becoming Law
- "You want to talk about having an impact on Texas, this new infrastructure will have that," said Senator Cruz of the 17,710 new jobs, and a $2.2 billion annual increase in state GDP that will result.
Op-Ed: Sen. Ted Cruz’s Bipartisan Bill Creating I-27 is a Huge Win for Texas
By James Beauchamp, president of the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance
As the largest state in the lower 48, Texas needs and deserves a world-class interstate system. Every day, millions of Texans depend on our system of roads, highways, and interstates for transportation, trade, and travel. From helping workers commute to their jobs to allowing families to travel home for the holidays, and from transporting our food to allowing first responders to quickly arrive at the scene of an emergency – our interstates are the vessels that make modern life possible. This is especially important for the energy industry in our region.
The next great improvement to the web of interstates connecting Texas will be I-27, connecting from Laredo to the Oklahoma border, as well as, Raton, New Mexico, through Midland-Odessa. The I-27 federal interstate designation is a huge deal, since it will ensure that the entire highway is up to interstate standards – improving driving conditions, reducing crashes and fatalities, attracting employers, creating jobs, and driving revenue to the region.
When folks are driving down an interstate, they often don’t understand the work that goes into creating it. Years ago, while we were working to build momentum for creating I-27, we ran into some roadblocks. I set up a meeting with Senator Ted Cruz to ask for some assistance. Immediately, he sprung into action and went above and beyond. Instead of just offering to help, he offered to take up the cause of I-27 and lead the fight to get it done. He worked closely with leaders across the Lone Star State to build a coalition of strong advocates for Texas.
His effort paid off, and Senator Cruz’s I-27 Numbering Act was recently signed into law.
What impressed me most about working with Senator Cruz was his ability to work with folks across the aisle to deliver for Texas. The media loves to paint Senator Cruz as a partisan bomb-thrower, but that is not at all the person I got to know.
Instead, I saw a champion for Texas who is willing to do whatever it takes to advocate for the Lone Star State: whether that is fighting in the arena of public opinion or building bridges with unlikely allies.
On the I-27 project, I saw Senator Cruz join with Democrat Senator Ben Ray Luján from New Mexico. They might not agree all the time, but they worked together seamlessly to deliver on this massive victory for their states.
I-27 is a major victory in and of itself, but in the context of Senator Cruz’s work to establish I-14 it’s even bigger. Interstate 14 runs from the Permian Basin all the way to Georgia. On that issue, Senator Cruz worked with Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock to connect the rich natural resources from the Permian Basin with markets on the East Coast.
As the largest state in the lower 48, Texas needs and deserves a world-class interstate system. Every day, millions of Texans depend on our system of roads, highways, and interstates for transportation, trade, and travel. From helping workers commute to their jobs to allowing families to travel home for the holidays, and from transporting our food to allowing first responders to quickly arrive at the scene of an emergency – our interstates are the vessels that make modern life possible. This is especially important for the energy industry in our region.
The next great improvement to the web of interstates connecting Texas will be I-27, connecting from Laredo to the Oklahoma border, as well as, Raton, New Mexico, through Midland-Odessa. The I-27 federal interstate designation is a huge deal, since it will ensure that the entire highway is up to interstate standards – improving driving conditions, reducing crashes and fatalities, attracting employers, creating jobs, and driving revenue to the region.
When folks are driving down an interstate, they often don’t understand the work that goes into creating it. Years ago, while we were working to build momentum for creating I-27, we ran into some roadblocks. I set up a meeting with Senator Ted Cruz to ask for some assistance. Immediately, he sprung into action and went above and beyond. Instead of just offering to help, he offered to take up the cause of I-27 and lead the fight to get it done. He worked closely with leaders across the Lone Star State to build a coalition of strong advocates for Texas.
His effort paid off, and Senator Cruz’s I-27 Numbering Act was recently signed into law.
What impressed me most about working with Senator Cruz was his ability to work with folks across the aisle to deliver for Texas. The media loves to paint Senator Cruz as a partisan bomb-thrower, but that is not at all the person I got to know.
Instead, I saw a champion for Texas who is willing to do whatever it takes to advocate for the Lone Star State: whether that is fighting in the arena of public opinion or building bridges with unlikely allies.
On the I-27 project, I saw Senator Cruz join with Democrat Senator Ben Ray Luján from New Mexico. They might not agree all the time, but they worked together seamlessly to deliver on this massive victory for their states.
I-27 is a major victory in and of itself, but in the context of Senator Cruz’s work to establish I-14 it’s even bigger. Interstate 14 runs from the Permian Basin all the way to Georgia. On that issue, Senator Cruz worked with Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock to connect the rich natural resources from the Permian Basin with markets on the East Coast.
These two interstates, I-14 and I-27, together with their connections with I-10 and I-20, connect over 85 percent of Texas’s population, over 90 percent of Texas’s workforce, and over 95 percent of Texas’s GDP.
I’ve been working on transportation issues for over 21 years, and I-27 and I-14 are some of the most significant wins for Texas that I’ve seen in my career.
It is impossible to overstate just how much these key arteries of trade, travel, and transportation will improve the lives of countless Texans.
I am confident that both interstates will be pillars supporting Texas’s economy for the next 100 years. And for that, we have Senator Cruz to thank.
James Beauchamp is president of the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance.
