Southern New Mexico congressman, former El Paso mayor believe new trade partnership could benefit Borderland

How important is border trade to El Paso and the surrounding area’s economy?

And how could passage of the fast-track and Trans-Pacific Partnership impact the Borderland?

Former El Paso mayor John Cook, who continues to work on cross-border trade issues in the area, helped shed light on the topic, as did southern New Mexico Republican congressman Steve Pearce.

Both believe this new trade partnership could be big for the Borderland.

“Currently there is about $539 billion of trade between the U.S. and Mexico – that’s a total of five million trucks a year,” Cook said.

Cook is executive director of the U.S.-Mexico Border Mayors Association which has been working for years to increase the flow of traffic at Borderland ports of entry.

“I think geographically we are right smack dab in the middle of where everything is happening and we have a proven track record,” Cook said. “I think it’s going to be very beneficial for us because we were pioneers in that industry.”

El Paso is the second busiest port of entry along the southern border of the United States with more than $90 billion in trade crossing every single year.

One in four jobs in the El Paso area is connected to some kind of cross-border activity.

“A lot of El Pasoans don’t understand just how vital this trade is, not only to El Paso, but to the United States of America and to the security of Mexico,” Cook said.

Pearce says the Borderland area has benefited anytime a trade bill or trade agreement with any nation has passed and said the nearby Santa Teresa port of entry also stands to benefit.

“Santa Teresa is probably the poster for New Mexico,” Pearce told ABC-7 in a phone interview. “The numbers of businesses that have built up right there on the border to take advantage of the plants there in Mexico and then the ability to hit the markets with the U.S. marketing system is just phenomenal. So I believe that it’s a regional win for all of us not just for us out in Santa Teresa but the entire region including El Paso.”