2005S0978-1  04/20/05


By:  Lucio                                                      S.C.R. No. 30 



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, Mexico is the United States' second-largest trading 
partner, and approximately 80 percent of all United States trade 
with Mexico, equivalent to $230 billion in goods, travels over 
Texas highways; trade between the two countries has grown from 
$81.5 billion in 1993 to $232 billion in 2002; and
	WHEREAS, Mexico is Texas' number one trading partner and this 
relationship is an important factor in Texas' economic growth and 
prosperity; during the 1990s, the Texas economy generally 
outperformed the nation's economy, due in large part to the 
strength of the state's exports to Mexico; roughly one out of every 
10 manufacturing jobs in Texas is tied to exports to Mexico and 44 
percent of Texas' total exports are made to Mexico; and
	WHEREAS, About 80 percent of all truck traffic between Mexico 
and the United States enters through a Texas border point of entry; 
between 1995 and 1999 trade through Texas ports by truck increased 
by 85 percent, exceeding $106 billion a year; in 1999 about 4.4 
million truck crossings were made through nine Texas ports and 
Laredo, the busiest port on the border, had 2.8 million commercial 
vehicle crossings; and
	WHEREAS, Two-way commerce between Texas and Mexico has more 
than doubled since 1993, from $100 billion to $235 billion; over the 
last seven years, Texas has exported more than $272 billion to 
Mexico, and in 2002 those exports accounted for six percent of the 
gross state product; in that same year exports to Mexico added $73.2 
billion in output, $19.8 billion in earnings, and 745,000 jobs to 
the Texas economy; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby urge the State of Texas to continue to pursue opportunities 
to increase trade with Mexico by creating policies and programs 
aimed at increasing trade, including improving communications and 
cooperation, and by encouraging meetings and interactions among 
federal, state, and local governments; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That the legislature hereby encourage the State of 
Texas to strengthen ties with neighboring Mexican states and urge 
the Texas and Mexican authorities to develop a working plan to study 
the flow of commerce and propose initiatives to mitigate delays at 
border crossings between Mexico and Texas.


Urging the State of Texas to continue to pursue increased trade with 
Mexico and to develop a plan with Mexico to mitigate delays at 
border crossings.