Border and Maritime Coordination Improvement Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as the representative of dozens of border communities in Texas, I take the obligation to stand up for them seriously. Improvements to security are a key portion of this bill. However, I have long maintained that they are not enough and they are not the only part of a successful border strategy.

Trade is the lifeblood of many of these communities. Yet, far too often they find themselves relying on ports of entry that are understaffed and out of date. This limits growth and strains the ties of the local communities. In many cases, they want to do more to expand on the Federal resources that currently exist. Public-private partnerships are key to enabling this.

Let me be clear: port of entry infrastructure is a Federal responsibility, but that doesn't mean that local communities and businesses shouldn't be able to pitch in.

Since January 2014, the Public-Private Partnership pilot program run through the Customs and Border Protection has made a difference. It has enhanced the ability of CBP to increase resources and decrease wait times at ports of entry. This program provides guidance for reimbursable services and allows CBP to tailor its services to the needs of the stakeholders while meeting the demands associated with decreasing budgets.

Both CBP and stakeholders have been exceedingly pleased with the results of this pilot program. Unfortunately, it could come to an end.

In an effort to ensure the longevity of this program, language in the bill permanently authorizes portions of the Public-Private Partnership program for reimbursable services and donation authority and it establishes a framework to guide its implementation in a responsible manner.

Public-private partnership authority for CBP is a critical issue for border communities like mine and has proven to be an essential tool to reduce wait times at the border and enhance the security of the homeland. I believe that we can secure our border and facilitate the flow of goods and services at the same time. The public-private partnerships that would be codified by this law will ensure just that.

I would like to thank Representative Miller for her leadership on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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