In a hearing before the Environment Lnd Public Works Committee on ISTEA. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater noted that since the passage of NAFTA. "we have seen a tremendous growth In trade. To make the most of these opportunities. we are proposing a new program to help Improve our border crossings and major trade corridorsprograms that will facilitate our domestic and international trade * * *." Secretary Slater is right: NAFTA has greatly increased trade across our borders. If we all work together to fix our border crossings. Increased trade offers great opportunities for the entire nation. If we do not. then NAFTA will act as an unfunded mandate that forces California and other border States to support other States trade routes. The Administration is proposing a border crossing and trade corridors grant program to improve traffic efficiency at border crossings. to be funded at $45 million a year. All border States north and south would be eligible. As I told Secretary Slater at last weeks hearing.
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border crossing