WTAS: Sen. Cruz’s Major Bipartisan, Bicameral Victory for South Texas
Laredo, TEXAS – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, spearheaded the passage of legislation to streamline the permitting process for new and expanded bridges across the Rio Grande in Brownsville, Laredo, and Eagle Pass, Texas, into law. This victory was made possible by a bipartisan and bicameral coalition of Texas legislators dedicated to expanding Texas’s economy and enhancing our bilateral relationship with Mexico, including Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), and Monica de la Cruz (R-Texas). Read what they are saying below.
“The streamlining has an immediate impact on the status of multiple construction projects in the south Texas area, including the construction of new bridges and the expansion of two others, like the World Trade Bridge in Laredo.
Cruz says he has been fighting to speed up the permitting process since 2021, when it was brought to his attention by city leaders in Laredo that there were roadblocks in the approval process for multiple bridge projects due to the new environmental requirement.”
DAILY SIGNAL: In Texas, Cruz Celebrates Win to ‘Bring Manufacturing Back From China’
“The legislation cuts bureaucratic red tape to build or expand four bridges across the Rio Grande in Texas and “benefits national security, because it makes it easier to bring manufacturing back from China, either to the United States or to Mexico,” Cruz, R-Texas, told The Daily Signal in a phone interview Friday.
“According to Glenn Hamer, president of the Texas Association of Business, the bill is ‘The most significant effort to increase commerce since the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2020.’”
KXAN: State of Texas: Amid border division, a push to build bridges
“Amid the divisions on border policy, an event Thursday in Laredo highlighted bipartisan efforts to improve border crossings to boost trade and tourism. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and the governor of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas were among border leaders who came to Laredo to tout a new U.S. law that could expedite the expansion and creation of several international bridges.
“‘This is the type of bipartisan work that gets the job done,’ said Cuellar at a news conference on Thursday outside the bridge administrative offices, where leaders held a morning roundtable discussion. ‘This is the type of news that we want to see here at the border; legitimate trade and tourism and the efficiency of this.’”
LAREDO MORNING TIMES: Rep. Cuellar, Sen. Cruz gather in Laredo to celebrate bridge reform
“Held outside at the World Trade Bridge, various political figures celebrated the passage of the proposal to reform the presidential permitting process for border bridges. This includes the World Trade Bridge expansion project in northwest Laredo. President Biden signed the proposal into law in the National Defense Authorization Act for the 2024 fiscal year.
“‘On April 20 the shot clock will expire and we will have the presidential permit to move forward with this bridge,’ Cruz said. ‘Bridges all around the Rio Grande -- we will have four different bridge projects that now will have the greenlight to move forward. This is a win.’”
TEXAS TRIBUNE: International bridge projects get speedier approval process with push from Texas lawmakers
“The process for approving international bridge projects in South Texas, intended to increase commerce between the U.S. and Mexico, is speeding up after President Joe Biden signed into law a policy change pushed by a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers.
“U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, led the effort to set a maximum 120-day timeline for the president to decide whether to approve a permit. The previous process used by the Biden administration required an environmental review — which could take years — before the president could decide on a permit.”
KTSA: Border bridge projects are underway with the help of a new process and could bring thousands of jobs
“‘That’s the lifeblood of South Texas,’ Senator Ted Cruz, (R) Texas said.
“Thursday morning Laredo is home to a gathering of smiles and handshakes as your elected leaders roll out a new bipartisan border law, which looks to expand international trade with Mexico.
“‘If you want to see bipartisanship, this is the type of bipartisan work that gets the job done,’ Representative Henry Cuellar, TX-28 said.
“Laredo city leaders approached Senator Cruz in 2021 for help with a bridge expansion project to get the world trade international bridge from eight to 18 lanes.”
RIO GRANDE GUARDIAN: Hamer praises ‘the most significant effort to increase commerce since the passage of the USMCA’
“Legislation that streamlines the permitting process for new and expanded bridges across the Rio Grande in Brownsville, Laredo, and Eagle Pass, has been welcomed by Texas Association of Business President and CEO Glenn Hamer.
“‘This is a great initiative for Laredo and it’s a great initiative for the state of Texas. It’s a great initiative for the entire United States of America, for our friend, ally, and neighbor Mexico, for the world’s most important trading bloc North America, and our friends in Canada,’ Hamer said.
““This is the most significant effort to increase commerce since the passage of the USMCA. Over $850 billion of goods are traded between Mexico and the United States and 81% go through the state of Texas. So, making sure that we could speed up the arteries of trade is vitally important. With Mexico now as our number one trading partner, that’s good news. I think all of us would agree we would much rather see Mexico as our top trading partner than China. The entire Texas business community is in full support, and we’re going to do everything possible to build up the infrastructure.’”
KGNS: Senator Ted Cruz discusses permitting reform for border bridges in south Texas
“The expansion to one of the busiest bridges between the United States and Mexico is one step closer to becoming a reality.
“On Thursday morning, U.S Senator Ted Cruz made a visit to the City of Laredo to announce the recent signing of the presidential permit needed to complete this 20 year old project.
“Over 800 billion dollars in trade and commerce goes through the World Trade Bridge, which is one of four bridges along the Laredo border.”
BACKGROUND:
In June 2023, Sen. Cruz led the entire south Texas congressional delegation, both Democrats and Republicans, in sending a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Biden administration to resolve delays in providing permits for four international Texas bridge projects. Joining Sen. Cruz in sending the letter were Sen. Cornyn, and U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas), and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas). Read the full text of the letter here.
In July 2023, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted Sen. Cruz’s amendment to streamline the presidential permitting process for building these key bridges across the Rio Grande. The amendment, which was included in a bill authorizing funding for the State Department, was ultimately passed by the entire Senate as part of the annual defense policy bill, or National Defense Authorization Act, on July 27, 2023. Sen. Cruz vowed to keep working to see that his amendment is part of the final defense bill that is signed into law.
In October, Sen. Cruz again led a letter, this time to President Biden, expressing frustration, “over the delayed issuance of presidential permits for key bridge projects between the United States and Mexico,” and urging the president to, “swiftly approve these four critical Texas-Mexico bridge projects that will create jobs, improve supply chain resiliency, and promote economic growth.” Joining Sen. Cruz in sending this letter were Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and U.S. Representatives Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), and Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas).
In December 2023, the annual defense authorization bill was passed with a provision, pushed by a bipartisan and bicameral coalition of Texas legislators, to streamline the presidential permitting process for new and expanded bridges across the Rio Grande in Brownsville, Laredo, and Eagle Pass, Texas. This language, which Cruz had inserted into the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and battled to keep in the final bill, was an important victory that will help alleviate border crossing bottlenecks, expand trade, and create jobs.
Sen. Cruz’s bipartisan effort to streamline the presidential permitting process for Texas-Mexico bridge projects are supported by a diverse group of stakeholders, including:
- Texas Association of Business
- U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Laredo Motor Carriers Association
- Border Trade Alliance
- American Trucking Associations
- Texas Trucking Association
- Texas International Produce Association
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