Border Trade Alliance renews call for border funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) is pushing leaders in Washington to expedite funding earmarked for improving the flow of goods through land ports-of-entry. The trade organization wrote to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs to emphasize the importance of funding to upgrade aging infrastructure at US border crossings. It says inadequate infrastructure and increased security is a hindrance to NAFTA trade, which is up 172% since 1993, now totaling US$797 billion. The group claims millions of dollars are lost each day due to supply chain inefficiencies. US Congress has already committed funds to the Department of Homeland Security and the General Services Administration (GSA) to help upgrade border crossings. The BTA is also urging impending GSA administrator Jim Williams to use... [read full story]