BILL NUMBER: AJR 4	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hueso

                        JANUARY 14, 2013

   Relative to the United States-Mexico border.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 4, as introduced, Hueso. The United States-Mexico border.
   This measure would urge the federal government, including the
Department of Homeland Security and the General Services
Administration, to fund necessary improvements at the San Ysidro and
Calexico Ports of Entry.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, The United States, Canada, and Mexico signed the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1993 to foster trade among
the three countries, and improve global competitiveness; and
   WHEREAS, Trade between the United States and Mexico has more than
quintupled since the implementation of NAFTA, totaling $500 billion
in bilateral trade in 2011; and
   WHEREAS, Mexico continues to be California's number one export
market with $25.8 billion in goods exported to Mexico in 2011,
accounting for 16 percent of all California exports; and
   WHEREAS, Ninety-nine percent of trade between California and
Mexico is carried by trucks; and
   WHEREAS, The SANDAG 2050 Comprehensive Freight Gateway Study
projects that the nearly two million trucks that crossed the
California-Mexico border in 2007 will increase to nearly five million
trucks in 2050. In 2011, over $33.5 billion in goods moved between
Mexico and the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and at
the Tecate Port of Entry; and
   WHEREAS, The San Diego and Imperial Counties' border traffic
congestion and delays cost the U.S. and Mexican economies an
estimated $8.63 billion in gross output and more than 73,900 jobs in
2007; and
   WHEREAS, New land port of entry and improvement projects are under
federal jurisdiction with significant influence over local
communities; and
   WHEREAS, The San Ysidro-Puerta Mexico Land Port of Entry is the
busiest port of entry between the United States and Mexico and is
undergoing a major reconfiguration and expansion project; and
   WHEREAS, The Otay Mesa-Mesa de Otay Land Port of Entry has plans
for the expansion and modernization of passenger and commercial
inspection facilities; and
   WHEREAS, The Calexico West Port of Entry also has plans to
renovate and expand the facility to process and expand its operation
for pedestrians and automobiles; and
   WHEREAS, The collaboration between federal, state, and local
agencies is essential for the development of border infrastructure
projects and security; and
   WHEREAS, The General Accountability Office and the Department of
Homeland Security estimate that $6 billion in border infrastructure
is needed to fulfill their mission of preventing unlawful entry and
smuggling while facilitating legitimate trade and tourism; and
   WHEREAS, The need for improved border capacity and efficiency
comes at a time when traditional federal funding is scarce and
increasingly difficult to obtain; and
   WHEREAS, Since February 2009, Congress and the Obama
administration have not funded border infrastructure projects; and
   WHEREAS, The San Ysidro project has a stated funding gap of $285
million and the Calexico project needs $318 million to complete
construction; and
   WHEREAS, Various agencies of the United States, including the
Department of Homeland Security and the General Services
Administration, should work with Congress to provide funding to
support these border infrastructure investments; now, therefore, be
it
   Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature urges the federal
government, including the Department of Homeland Security and the
General Services Administration, to fund necessary improvements at
the San Ysidro and Calexico Ports of Entry; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the
Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative
from California in the Congress of the United States.