59–010 

Calendar No. 374 

114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 114–213 

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE AUTHORITY FOR THE SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS OF THE STARR-CAMARGO BRIDGE COMPANY TO MAINTAIN AND 

OPERATE A TOLL BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE NEAR RIO GRANDE 

CITY, TEXAS 

FEBRUARY 24, 2016.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. INHOFE, from the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 2143] 

The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 2143) to provide for the authority for the successors and assigns of the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande near Rio 

Grande City, Texas, and for other purposes, having considered the 

same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. 

GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND

This bill amends Public Law 87–532 to re-designate the StarrCamargo Bridge Company as the appropriate authority to maintain 

and operate the toll bridge across the Rio Grande River connecting 

the United States-Mexico border cities of Rio Grande City, Texas 

and Camargo, Tamaulipas. Completed in 1966, the Starr-Camargo 

Bridge is currently owned and managed by the Starr-Camargo 

Bridge Company. 

OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION

The objective of S. 2143 is to provide for the authority for the 

successors and assigns of the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to 

maintain and operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande River 

near Rio Grande City, Texas. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

S. 2143 as reported by the Committee on Environment and Public Works on January 20, 2016. 


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Sec. 1. Starr-Camargo Bridge 

This section amends Public Law 87–532, including the addition 

of a new section aligning the rights and privileges of the StarrCamargo Bridge Company and its successors and assigns with 

those rights and privileges of the B and P Bridge Company, which 

operates the Progreso International Bridge in Progreso, Texas. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Senator Cornyn introduced S. 2143 on October 6, 2015. The bill 

was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. 

On January 20, 2016 the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works held a business meeting to consider S. 2143. The bill was 

approved by the Committee by voice vote without amendment. 

HEARINGS

No committee hearings were held on S. 2143. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to consider S. 2143 on January 20, 2016. The bill was ordered favorably 

reported by voice vote. No rollcall votes were taken. 

REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that S. 2143 does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of individuals. 

MANDATES ASSESSMENT

In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 

(Public Law 104–4), the Committee notes that the Congressional 

Budget Office found that S. 2143 contains no intergovernmental or 

private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA), and would impose no costs on state, local, or 

tribal governments. 

COST OF LEGISLATION

Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the reported bill, 

prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be included in the report. That statement follows: 

FEBRUARY 10, 2016. 

Hon. JIM INHOFE, 

Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2143, a bill to provide for 

the authority for the successors and assigns of the Starr-Camargo 

Bridge Company to maintain and operate a toll bridge across the 

Rio Grande near Rio Grande City, Texas, and for other purposes. 


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If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sarah Puro. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL. 

Enclosure. 

S. 2143—A bill to provide for the authority for the successors and 

assigns of the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and 

operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande near Rio Grande 

City, Texas, and for other purposes 

Under current law, the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company has the 

authority to operate a private toll-bridge between the United States 

and Mexico through 2032. S. 2143 would permanently extend the 

authority for the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company or its successors 

to operate such a bridge and to expand the number of lanes on that 

bridge. 

The Starr-Camargo Bridge Company is privately-owned and does 

not receive any federal or state assistance and does not issue any 

tax-exempt debt. As a result, CBO estimates that enacting S. 2143 

would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-yougo procedures do not apply. 

CBO estimates that enacting S. 2143 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 

10-year periods beginning in 2027. 

The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Sarah Puro. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules 

of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill as reported 

are shown as follows: Existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in øblack brackets¿, new matter is printed in italic, existing 

law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman: 

* * * * * * * 

PUBLIC LAW 87–532 

(a) (1) The San Benito International Bridge Company of San Benito, Texas, is authorized to construct a toll bridge and approaches 

thereto across the Grande, at a point suitable to the interests of 

navigation, at or near Los Indios, Texas, and for a period of sixtysix years from the date of completion of such bridge, to maintain 

and operate such bridge and to collect tolls for the use thereof, so 

far as the United States has jurisdiction over the waters of such 

river; and 

(2) The Starr-Camargo Bridge Company of the State of 

Texas, and its successors and assigns, is authorized to construct a toll bridge and approaches thereto consisting of not 

more than 14 lanes across the Rio Grande, at a point suitable 

to the interests of navigation, at or near Rio Grande City, 


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Texas, øand for a period of sixty-six years from the date of 

completion of such bridge,¿ to maintain and operate such 

bridge and to collect tolls for the use thereof, so far as the 

United States has jurisdiction over the waters of such river. 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 2. Each of the companies and its successors and assigns, referred to in the first section of this Act may fix and charge tolls 

for transit over the bridge which it is authorized under such section 

to construct, in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, and 

the laws of the United States, applicable to such tolls, and the 

rates of toll so fixed shall be the legal rates until changed under 

the authority contained in section 4 of the Act of March 23, 1906 

(33 U.S.C 494). 

SEC. 3. RIGHTS OF STARR-CAMARGO BRIDGE COMPANY AND SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Starr-Camargo Bridge Company and its 

successors and assigns shall have the rights and privileges granted 

to the B and P Bridge Company and its successors and assigns 

under section 2 of the Act of May 1, 1928 (45 Stat. 471, chapter 

466). 

(b) REQUIREMENT.—In exercising the rights and privileges granted under subsection (a), the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company and 

its successors and assigns shall act in accordance with— 

(1) just compensation requirements; 

(2) public proceeding requirements; and 

(3) any other requirements applicable to the exercise of the 

rights referred to in subsection (a) under the laws of the State 

of Texas. 

SEC. ø3.¿ 4. Each such Company and its successors and assigns, 

may sell, assign, transfer, or mortgage the rights, powers, and 

privileges conferred on it by this Act, to any . public agency, øor¿ 

to an international bridge authority or commission, or to a corporation, and any such agency, øauthority, or commission¿ authority, or 

commission, or corporation is authorized to exercise the rights, 

powers, and privileges acquired under this section (including acquisition by mortgage foreclosure) in the same manner as if such 

rights, powers, and privileges had been granted by this Act directly 

to such agency, øauthority, or commission¿ authority, commission, 

or corporation. 

SEC. ø4.¿ 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 6 of the 

Act of March 23, 1906 (33 U.S.C. 496), this Act shall be null and 

void as to any bridge authorized to be constructed by this Act unless the actual construction of such bridge is commenced within 

three years and completed within five years from the date of enactment of this Act. 

SEC. ø5.¿ 6. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is expressly reserved. 

Æ 


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