Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today reported that the final version of the recently negotiated farm bill contains legislation he wrote to bolster economic development along the U.S.-Mexico border.

A Senate-House panel have finalized on a broad farm policy bill, which contained Bingaman’s “Southwest Regional Border Authority Act.” That bill, which Bingaman first introduced in 2002, set up an independent agency -- led by the governors of New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California and one Senate-confirmed federal representative -- devoted to helping economically distressed communities up to 150 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border create and implement regional economic development plans. In New Mexico, the counties of Catron, Chaves, Doña Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Luna, Otero, Sierra and Socorro could be eligible for funding.

“The border region has much to offer, including a tremendous workforce. This proposal will help communities find and implement economic development opportunities, creating good jobs,” Bingaman said.

Recent Census data demonstrate that about 20 percent of the residents in the border region live below the poverty level and unemployment is at least twice the national average. Per capita personal income in the region is also significantly below the national average.

With the goal of improving wages and the standard of living for border residents, Bingaman’s proposal would create the Southwest Regional Border Authority (Border Authority). That agency would be charged with providing funding for projects that stimulate economic development by focusing on four areas: infrastructure, technology, community development and entrepreneurship, and workforce development and education.

The agency would be authorized at more than $400 million over five years -- starting at $50 million the first year and increasing to $94 million in the fifth year -- to fund projects in those key areas. The Border Authority would use this funding to help communities leverage funding from private and other public sector sources. In addition, funding could be used to bring the federal share of a project’s cost to up to 90 percent. This would help communities that are currently unable to take advantage of federal grant programs because they can’t afford to meet local match requirements.

“Over the years, the federal government’s approach to the border has been disjointed and under-funded at best. This bill would focus the government’s effort on the border and bring much-needed resources and much-deserved attention to the area,” Bingaman said.

A key feature of Bingaman's plan is that rather than directing economic development efforts, the agency would help carry out plans designed at the local level and approved by border states to meet regional economic development goals.

“The best ideas for dealing with regional issues are often found at the local level, with the people who live and work in those communities,” Bingaman said. “I believe a bottom-up approach to economic development is key to job and wage growth in the region.”

In addition to directing grant funding to projects in the border area, the Border Authority would also conduct research on resources available to the region; sponsor demonstration projects; recommend changes to federal, state and local border programs to increase their effectiveness; and help coordinate federal efforts to stimulate border development.

Bingaman first introduced legislation last May 2002 in an effort to build support for it in Congress. Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) introduced a companion measure in the House of Representatives and worked to get it in the Farm Bill.