AJR 4, 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, Calexico, and Otay Mesa Ports of Entry.
WHEREAS, The United States, Canada, and Mexico signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1993 to foster trade among the 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, the Calexico project needs $318 million to complete construction, and the Otay Mesa project requires $161 million for completion; 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, Calexico, and Otay Mesa 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.
95