WASHINGTON • Chamber of Commerce of the United States plan a coordinated border Wednesday which calls improvements combined infrastructure, security, immigration policies and trade, instead of the piecemeal approach.
Public and private investment in such a program is needed to create a border for the 21st century American-Mexico which allow both countries to protect and to compete in the global economy, said the report.
"Our security and our prosperity intersect at the border," said former Secretary of security inner Tom Ridge, President of the Chamber of the U.S. National Security Task Force, who unveiled the report.
"I will put an exclamation on immigration reform," said Ridge, who called for cooperation across the partisan aisle in Washington.
The report said the entry Nogales, the most important gateway for fruit and vegetables of the Mexico, is a critical crossing for other products and agricultural products moving between the two countries. Action and investment in areas like Nogales will be crucial in improving the relationship between the two countries, said the report.
Such an investment would be a "down payment" in efforts to create a "world class border", said Patrick Kilbride, Senior Director, the Americas, in the House.
The report said that the West Entry Point of Nogales is currently a $ 200 million expansion project. But this expansion up to 200 border patrol agents more than 300 currently require staffing Nogales West, said the report.
"If this is your own business, if it is your own passage, you would, capital investment," said US Chamber President Thomas Donahue to the event on Wednesday.
The report also notes the need to give special attention to American companies, American workers and those who wish to work in this country, to improve the current bottleneck at the borders. Suggestions include a streamlined temporary worker program, to make it less attractive for workers to enter the country illegally.
A sector severely affected by the border policy is agriculture, an industry of Arizona $ 10.3 billion.
"Products are one of the most innovative industries," said Lance Jungmeyer, President of the basis of Nogales Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, which was on hand for the event on Wednesday in Washington. But sensitive to both produce can bottled at the border for as long as 10 hours, the report said.
Since farmers are now trying to serve a global market place, Jungmeyer said, there are always plenty of fruits and vegetables in grocery stores. But if this product is mainly imported or grown in the United States will be decided by the hand of work availability.
The report is not intended as a critique of the U.S. or the Mexican Government: Donahue credited this interdependent problem of homeland security which makes it a "Herculean effort".
"The willingness is there, the intention is there... but there is more work to do", he said.
CEO of Chamber of Commerce of the Arizona Glenn Hamer welcomes the participation of the Chamber.
"Given the influence of the House, they will have an effect greater than that of the House of the Arizona," he said. "But having said that, all the rooms of the State have a role to communicate and to extend this robust commercial relationship."
"It's a win-win for both countries." "And for States such as Arizona, where the Mexico is the most important trading partner, the positive elements that can come out of the report are still deeper," said Hamer.
Others said that the report repeats what they said of the years.
"It's great that the Chamber is engaged in this sense, no doubt about it," said Nelson Balido, President of the Alliance of border trade. "But this is nothing new." We have been telling people throughout this need to move. »
Balido explained that nothing will give the United States a more immediate return to invest in both of its borders.
"We integrate security and trade." Not balance, integrate, "he says. The report of the House is another tool to highlight and verify that its alliance spent 25 years of lobbying in favour of, said Balido.
Pointing to current economic straits of the country, calls for House report for citizens, businesses and Governments, American and Mexican "think strategically about their common future," suggesting not enough has been done in the alliance between all stakeholders.
"The way we manage these borders says something about who we are as a nation," Donahue said in the preface to the report.
Main points of the plan, "steps for a 21st century U.S. - Mexico Border"
Security: Violence engendered by the war on drugs has led to challenges to the rule of law that all businesses operate on. The objective is to find common ground between Governments and private border security agencies to improve security. A recommendation of USCC: safety is also applied and all ports of entry and return to the Government and Government-to-business interaction.
Business: The Mexico is the U.S. behind the Canada and China's third largest trading partner. USCC recommendation: develop the use of the unified technology to shippers in the flow of trade across the border.
Infrastructure: The Nogales entry is built to handle the passage of 400 trucks daily, but 1,600 trucks now cross the border every day. A recommendation of USCC: Ports must increase their capacity through public investments with federal, State and local funds.
Immigration: American businesses will depend on the comprehensive immigration reform in order to be competitive and grow. A recommendation of USCC: the legal movement of persons, goods and services should be simplified through an improved temporary worker program.
Travel: Legal travel by tourists from the Mexican-American border strengthens the economies of both countries, but long wait to cross make less attractive tourism. A recommendation of USCC: customs proper to reduce staffing wait times will create a better experience for visitors to the United States.
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