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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                             PRESS CONTACT:

April 1, 2014                                                                  Brenda Lopez  956.544.8352

                                                                                                                                        

PRESS RELEASE: Congressman Filemon Vela and Congressman Beto O’Rourke visit Atlanta with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Walter Bastian to Highlight Importance of Trade with Mexico

 

 

Atlanta, Georgia– Recently, Congressman Filemon Vela (D-Brownsville) and Congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-El Paso) visited Atlanta, Georgia with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Walter Bastian to highlight the importance of trade with Mexico. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce within the International Trade Administration, Mr. Bastian is responsible for developing programs, policies and strategies designed to strengthen the United States' commercial position in the Western Hemisphere.

 

The visit included a tour of the Georgia Pacific Innovation Institute which works with companies to reduce their supply chain costs and design innovative packaging solutions.  The delegation also participated in a business roundtable discussion at the Atlanta World Trade Center and gave interviews to local media outlets.

 

Last February, Mr. Bastian visited South Texas to tour ports of entry and meet with local officials and business leaders to identify programs available to facilitate border commerce.  Following his trip to South Texas, Mr. Bastian invited Congressman Vela to visit Atlanta with him to promote the importance of U.S. trade with Mexico.

 

“The strong U.S.-Mexico trade relationship must be taken into account as Congress debates immigration reform legislation,” said Congressman Vela, Co-Chair of the Congressional Border Caucus.  “Trade with Mexico is not only important to the economies of border communities but to all states in the U.S. For example, in 2013, trade with Mexico supported 6 million jobs across the U.S.  Georgia annually exports more than $2.3 billion worth of products to Mexico—making Mexico, Georgia’s third largest export market.  It is important all Americans understand the positive economic impact of trade with Mexico and that investing in our ports of entry infrastructure is necessary to ensure trade moves safely and efficiently.” 

 

“Georgia and Mexico trade approximately $6.8 billion worth of goods and services per year, which supports 186,000 jobs in Georgia,” said Congressman O’Rourke.  “El Paso ports are the second busiest in the nation with more than $90 billion in trade every year. Decreasing wait times at our bridges is vital for job and economic growth in the U.S. I’m pleased to join Congressman Vela and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Walter Bastian to discuss this key issue.”

 

"Over a million dollars of trade crosses the U.S.-Mexico border every minute," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Walter Bastian.  "Most people don't realize the importance of our bilateral trade relationship and how many jobs it creates in non-border states like Georgia. Our heartland outreach program highlights this important message."

 

"An innovated economy is a prosperous one," said Dr. Mark Kroll, Dean of the College of Business at the University of Texas at Brownsville.  "Efforts, such as Congressman Filemon Vela's, allow us to identify the very best practices in economic innovation."

 

A copy of the agenda is attached to this email.

 

 

 

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