WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) is pushing leaders in Washington to expedite funding earmarked for improving the flow of goods through land ports-of-entry.

The trade organization wrote to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs to emphasize the importance of funding to upgrade aging infrastructure at US border crossings. It says inadequate infrastructure and increased security is a hindrance to NAFTA trade, which is up 172% since 1993, now totaling US$797 billion.

The group claims millions of dollars are lost each day due to supply chain inefficiencies. US Congress has already committed funds to the Department of Homeland Security and the General Services Administration (GSA) to help upgrade border crossings. The BTA is also urging impending GSA administrator Jim Williams to use any leftover funding to expedite the delivery of port infrastructure projects.

“GSA has made great strides and taken positive steps toward delivering much needed border infrastructure, however we need to continue to stress the importance of land ports of entry to our national economy,” said Maria Luisa O’Connell, president of the BTA.

The US Customs and Border Protection estimated that $500 million per year is needed over the next 10 years to fund much needed border infrastructure improvements. BTA points out the average truck crossing into the US at El Paso now experiences a one hour delay, with delays as long as four hours not uncommon, at the crossing, which costs shippers more than $100 million per year.