
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2002
(512) 463-0127
AUSTIN, TX-State Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., (D-Brownsville) today announced the next public hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Border Affairs will be at the University of Texas at El Paso, in the El Paso Natural Gas Conference Center, 321 Wiggins Road, on Wednesday, March 27, 2002, at 9 a.m.
Offering remarks will be El Paso Mayor Raymond Caballero and El Paso County Judge Dolores Briones. Representatives from state agencies such as the Workforce Commission; the Department of Economic Development; and the Department of Transportation will offer updates and answer questions pertinent to the El Paso area.
County Commissioner Carlos Aguilar, a member of the Border Colonia Advisory Board, will offer an update on Proposition 2, the Constitutional Amendment recently approved by voters which authorized $175 million in general obligation bonds for paving colonia roads.
The Subcommittee is charged with identifying unique challenges facing the Texas-Mexico Border region and determining strategic economic development initiatives to assist the region in overcoming the identified challenges. The Subcommittee is also required to recommend initiatives to improve trade and tourism that create a sound foundation for economic development and determine the amount of funding necessary to implement the initiatives. This requirement requires a determination of whether such investments will leverage other significant funds or if funding is unlikely from other sources. The Subcommittee may also make recommendations to facilitate commerce and lessen congestion at ports-of-entry at the Texas-Mexico border.
Members of the committee in addition to Sen. Lucio, chairman, include state Senators Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and John Carona, R-Dallas.
For more information, people may contact Ms. Laura Garcia, general counsel and clerk of the Subcommittee at 512-463-0127.
AGENDA
Senate Subcommittee on Border Affairs Public Hearing Wednesday, March 27, 2002, 9:00 A.M. University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Natural Gas Conference Center I. Call to Order II. Roll Call III. Opening/Welcoming Remarks Chairman Lucio and Members The Honorable Raymond Caballero, Mayor, City of El Paso The Honorable Dolores Briones, County Judge, El Paso County Alberto Lopez, Assistant Vice-President for University Relations, University of Texas at El Paso IV. Approval of Minutes V. Invited Testimony A. Workforce Diane Rath, Commissioner, Texas Workforce Commission Martin Aguirre, CEO, Upper Rio Grande Workforce Development Board Dr. Richard M. Rhodes, President, El Paso Community College Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Dr. Arturo Alonzo, Deputy Director Dr. Ed Cain, Manager of Educational Initiatives B. Economic Development/Trade/Tourism Jeff Moseley, Executive Director, Texas Department of Economic Development Tom Thomas, Senior Vice-President for Economic Development, El Paso Chamber of Commerce Cindy Ramos-Davidson, CEO, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Veronica Callaghan, Co-Chair of Law Enforcement and Border Security, Border Trade Alliance Dr. Donald A. Michie, Ph.D., El Paso Foreign Trade Association Hector Holguin, CEO, Holguin Group Dr. Dennis Soden, Ph.D., Executive Director, Institute for Policy and Economic Development, University of Texas at El Paso Mike Breitinger, Executive Director, El Paso Central Business Association Charles Meeks, Director, El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau Albert Alvidrez, Tigua Governor C. Transportation/Congestion Issues The Honorable Carlos Aguilar, El Paso County Commissioner--(update on Border Colonia Advisory Board and implementation of Proposition 2) Luis Garcia, District Director, INS--El Paso District Office David Longoria, Port Director, U.S. Customs Service--El Paso Charles Berry, Jr., District Engineer--El Paso, Texas Department of Transportation Roy Gilyard, Executive Director, El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization D. Health Services Leticia Paez, M.A., M.P.A., Director, Kellogg Community Partnership Frank Apodaca, Managing Shareholder, Access Health Source and Chairman, Insure El Paso Dr. William Gordan McGee, Quest Diagnostics, Inc. Dr. Juan Fitz, El Paso County Medical Society--(regarding trauma care liability) E. Living Wages Hector Arellano, Business Manager--Local Union 583, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Jose Rodriguez, El Paso County Attorney El Paso Inter-Religious Sponsoring Organization (EPISO) VI. Public Testimony VII. Other Business VIII. Recess
###