Torres Small Includes Funds for Santa Teresa Port of Entry in House Infrastructure Package

Washington, D.C.–Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to include Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02)’s amendment to H.R. 2 that dedicates $100 million to improvements projects at land ports of entry (POE) like Santa Teresa POE. As the House crafted H.R. 2, an infrastructure package that puts Americans back to work, Torres Small advocated for the needs of border and trade dependent communities, like those in southern New Mexico.

“Our country’s ports of entry are critical to our trade economy and border security. Despite being one of the largest ports in America, Santa Teresa’s infrastructure hasn’t been updated since the late 1990s. We need to invest in its outdated infrastructure so it can meet today’s demand, prepare for the increase in trade that will come from today’s implementation of USMCA, and attract more businesses to its industrial base. By investing in land ports of entry like Santa Teresa, we can create jobs that put New Mexicans to work while making us all safer by helping stop illegal drug trafficking,” said Torres Small.

Torres Small’s amendment would authorize $100 million for infrastructure improvement projects at land ports of entry with at least a 5% in trade growth in 2019.  About a dozen land POEs nationwide would qualify for this funding, including the Santa Teresa POE. Last year alone, the Santa Teresa POE experienced a 17.4 percent increase in total trade, totaling $30.5 billion in exported and imported goods. This increase rocketed the port to fourth in total trade for all land ports of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border, and sixth in total trade for all land ports of entry in the country.

In December 2019, Torres Small, Chairwoman of the Homeland Security Oversight, Management and Accountability subcommittee, hosted a congressional visit to the Santa Teresa POE and convened a hearing to learn more about the port’s infrastructure and border security needs.

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