Dear Friends / Estimado Amigos:

With the Christmas holiday soon upon us, it is more important than ever that we expedite cross border travel, particularly at the Paso del Norte Bridge (PDN) where thousands of crossers will be traveling to downtown El Paso to do their shopping. Congressman Reyes recently joined with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to announce a series of upgrades at PDN and other area ports that will move pedestrian and vehicle traffic more quickly.

A key component of the upgrades is the Pedestrian Ready Lane, the first of its kind in the nation. Pedestrian crossers with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in their crossing documents can cross in dedicated lanes and will benefit from shorter wait times because CBP officers will not have to manually enter traveler information during the primary inspection. This will cut the time it takes to help each individual, particularly during the busiest crossing times.

There are also Vehicular Ready Lanes at PDN as well as the Bridge of the Americas and the Ysleta Bridge, and new LED signs that are easier to see and read. CBP is also currently in the process of installing a shortwave AM radio transmitter at Ysleta, which will provide updated travel information for border crossers. The more individuals who use them, the more Ready Lanes CBP can open, and these lanes allow pedestrians and residents to cross more quickly and efficiently.

As more border travelers join those with RFID enabled documents, we will see a measurable reduction in the time it takes to enter the country through El Paso ports of entry.

As always, it is my honor to represent you in Congress. If you need assistance with a federal issue, please do not hesitate to contact my office in El Paso at (915) 534-4400 or visit my website at www.reyes.house.gov.

Sincerely,