“Bridges serve as economic lifelines for our border communities, facilitating international trade, commerce, and tourism.”
Texas Insider Report: (Laredo, TX) – After months of hard and extensive work, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28) and Senator Ted Cruz (TX) earlier today celebrated the passage of their proposal to reform the Presidential Permitting Process for the nation's Border Bridges, including the World Trade Bridge expansion project in Laredo. President Biden recently signed into law their efforts which were included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024.
“Bridges serve as economic lifelines for our border communities, facilitating international trade, commerce, and tourism,” said Dr. Cuellar. “However, drivers and truckers often report lines stretching for miles to cross – delaying the transportation of goods and costing our economy millions.
Laredo is the nation’s largest port of entry, with 7.6 million total vehicle crossings during the federal governments Fiscal Year of 2023.
"We need to expand our ports of entry, and these changes to the Presidential permitting process will ensure that proposed construction projects at the World Trade Bridge, Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge, and other bridges along the U.S.-Mexico border avoid unnecessary construction delays.”
Laredo is the nation’s largest port of entry, with 7.6 million total vehicle crossings during the federal governments Fiscal Year of 2023.
"We need to expand our ports of entry, and these changes to the Presidential permitting process will ensure that proposed construction projects at the World Trade Bridge, Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge, and other bridges along the U.S.-Mexico border avoid unnecessary construction delays.”
Presidential permits are required for construction projects at border crossings. Obtaining a permit requires an environmental review, often taking years to complete. Language secured by Dr. Cuellar and Senator Cruz would direct the President to issue conditional permits for projects while environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are ongoing.
Cuellar has long been working to streamline the Presidential Permitting Process for cross-border bridges. He is a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, and previously served as a Texas State Representative and Texas Secretary of State.
As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, he secured language to reform the Presidential Permit Process for cross-border bridges in the committee's 2024 State, Foreign Operations & Related Programs bill, which expedited the World Trade Bridge expansion project in Laredo.
The city’s World Trade Bridge has experienced significant increases in commercial traffic since opening in 2000 – and saw 2.5 million northbound commercial crossings in FY23.
The proposed World Trade Bridge expansion project will add ten lanes to the World Trade Bridge, bringing the total to 18 lanes and enabling more trade with Mexico.
