As the largest border community in the world, the El Paso/Juarez region is the ideal location to bring together leaders from both the U.S. and Mexico to address some of our most pressing border security problems. Next month, the University of Texas at El Paso, in conjunction with my office, will host the 6th Annual Border Security Conference: Fostering a 21st Century Relationship of Cooperation and Shared Responsibility. As policymakers wrestle with issues such as Mexico’s drug-related violence, comprehensive immigration reform, and bi-national trade in the current recession, this year’s Border Security Conference is coming at a critical time and promises to be very informative.

The Border Security Conference is the nation’s premier conference on border security issues.  For two days, El Paso will once again be in the national spotlight as top policymakers, national media, and participants from around the country come to our community to take part in this important conference. This month, I was pleased to announce that this year’s conference will feature top officials including Assistant to the President John Brennan, Assistant Secretary Alan Bersin, Assistant Secretary John Morton, ATF Director Kenneth Melson, U.S. Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar, and many more. 

The 6th Annual Border Security Conference will take place August 10 – 11 at the Undergraduate Learning Center at UTEP.  The conference is free and open to the public. For more information, and to register for the conference, please visit www.utep.edu/conferences.

Also next month, the El Paso Small Business Consortium, in conjunction with my office, will host the 4th Annual Veterans Business Conference on Thursday, August 13, 2008 at the El Paso Community College Administrative Services Center at 9050 Viscount. El Paso is home to many veterans, and this conference will help provide them with the tools and resources necessary to become successful entrepreneurs in our community.

I invite all El Paso veterans to participate and learn about how to become a small business owner or to learn new strategies to grow existing business. Our veterans understand the needs of our soldiers better than anyone else, so this conference will help them to learn about federal contracts, particularly with Fort Bliss. Attendees will have the opportunity to seek employment opportunities, as well as to learn about federal certification programs, essentials in business startup, financing, federal contracting, estimating, small business tax credits, and much more.

Due to Fort Bliss’ growth, tens of thousands of new residents will soon call El Paso home, and it is critical that our entrepreneurs and small business owners benefit from this new demand for goods and services. For example, Fort Bliss soldiers and families will need items such as housing, electronics, furniture, cars, and other services from the El Paso small business community. As Fort Bliss continues to grow, it is important that local entrepreneurs - especially veterans - are able to take advantage of the new business opportunities that will be available. The main goal and objective of this conference is to empower veteran entrepreneurs and small business owners to prepare for and benefit from the continued growth of El Paso and Fort Bliss.

Small businesses are the livelihood of El Paso’s economy and with over 1000 registered in El Paso, it is crucial that these businesses gain access to the resources of this conference.  As a veteran myself, I hope this conference continues to respond to the needs of our El Paso veterans who are business owners or want to be entrepreneurs.

The Master of Ceremonies this year will be Mr. Gerald C. Paulsen, President/CEO of Paulsen Productions, and winner of the United States Small Business Administration’s Region V 2008 Veteran Business Champion of the Year Award. The conference will also provide a complimentary continental breakfast and lunch from El Paso veteran-owned small businesses.

I would like to take the opportunity thank our El Paso Small Business Consortium for their continued assistance to our El Paso Veteran and small business community: U.S. Small Business Administration, Contract Opportunities Center of the El Paso Community College, Small Business Development Center, El Paso 8A & Government Contractors Association, Acción Texas, City of El Paso Economic Development Department, the University of Texas at El Paso, Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Service Corps of Retired Executives, Workforce Solutions Upper Rio Grande, Ft. Bliss Directorate of Contracting, Central South Texas Minority Business Council, and the Veteran Business Association.

For more information about the 4th Annual Veterans Business Conference, please visit my website at www.reyes.house.gov