By:  Shapleigh, Lucio                                  S.C.R. No. 8
 1-1                        SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-2           WHEREAS, Over 50 million private vehicles passed through
 1-3     ports of entry on the Texas-Mexico border in federal fiscal year
 1-4     2000, and the number of private vehicle crossings is projected to
 1-5     continue to increase; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Many of these private vehicles are driven by
 1-7     commuters who cross the border routinely for work, business,
 1-8     shopping, or to visit family; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, The wait for private vehicles to pass through border
1-10     checkpoints varies from a few minutes to a few hours, and waits are
1-11     even longer during peak times; and
1-12           WHEREAS, It is vital to the economies of the United States,
1-13     Mexico, and the border communities that there be a free flow of
1-14     traffic, including both cargo trucks and private vehicles, across
1-15     the border; long waits at ports of entry discourage both private
1-16     and commercial travel and deprive communities on both sides of the
1-17     border of the economic benefits to be gained by connections between
1-18     the United States and Mexico; and
1-19           WHEREAS, Dedicated Commuter Lanes (DCLs) have been in place
1-20     at ports of entry on the United States-Canada border for many
1-21     years, and are currently being used on the United States-Mexico
1-22     border in Otay Mesa, California, and in El Paso; waiting times for
1-23     DCL participants at these ports of entry are rarely more than a few
1-24     minutes; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, DCLs are designated traffic lanes at border
 2-2     checkpoints that are restricted to the vehicles of frequent border
 2-3     travelers who have passed rigorous background checks that qualify
 2-4     them for expedited entry and minimal inspection; their vehicles are
 2-5     equipped with electronic tags that signal the identity of the
 2-6     driver and authorized passengers to border personnel, allowing them
 2-7     to be processed quickly; those cleared to participate are assessed
 2-8     an annual fee for the privilege of using the lanes; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, Out of more than a half-million vehicular entries at
2-10     Otay Mesa and despite frequent random compliance checks of DCL
2-11     users, federal officers did not detect any illegal aliens or drugs
2-12     coming through the dedicated lanes; and
2-13           WHEREAS, The automated nature of the DCLs frees up resources
2-14     to reduce the illegal movement of people and prohibited goods into
2-15     the United States; DCLs encourage commerce and legal entries, while
2-16     deterring port runners and other immigration violators and have
2-17     proven to strike a highly effective balance between enforcement and
2-18     facilitation; fewer vehicles waiting in traffic also means less
2-19     emissions and less pollution; now, therefore, be it
2-20           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-21     hereby request the Texas Department of Transportation to assist
2-22     local efforts and to work with the federal government to establish
2-23     Dedicated Commuter Lanes at Texas-Mexico border crossings in order
2-24     to facilitate cross-border employment and the free movement of
2-25     people and goods; and, be it further
2-26           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
 3-1     copy of this resolution to the executive director of the Texas
 3-2     Department of Transportation.