I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2917 
To direct the Secretary of Commerce to develop a national strategy for 
supporting economic opportunity in border communities, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 26, 2023 
Mr. VASQUEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Commerce to develop a national 
strategy for supporting economic opportunity in border 
communities, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Economic Opportunity 
for Border Communities Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR SUPPORTING ECONOMIC 
OPPORTUNITY IN BORDER COMMUNITIES. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL STRATEGY.—The 
Secretary shall develop a national strategy for supporting 
economic opportunity in border communities. 
(b) GOALS OF NATIONAL STRATEGY.—The goals of 
the national strategy developed under subsection (a) are 
the following: 
(1) Increasing the number of jobs in border 
communities, with a focus on the following indus-
tries: 
(A) Logistics. 
(B) International trade. 
(C) Manufacturing. 
(D) Transportation. 
(E) Agriculture. 
(2) Strengthening United States competitive-
ness in manufacturing. 
(3) Reducing the costs of exports and imports. 
(4) Increasing the number of opportunities for 
workforce development, including by providing voca-
tional training for the industries described in para-
graph (1). 
(c) CONTENT OF NATIONAL STRATEGY.—The na-
tional strategy developed under subsection (a) shall in-
clude the following: 
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(1) Assessment of incentives, including tax in-
centives, for economic development in border com-
munities. 
(2) Recommendations for statutory or regu-
latory changes necessary to achieve the goals de-
scribed in subsection (b). 
(3) Coordination with the Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agri-
culture to evaluate the role of rural housing, infra-
structure, and economic development programs in 
supporting economic development in border commu-
nities. 
(4) Coordination with the Secretary of Trans-
portation to evaluate the role of highway and railway 
infrastructure in supporting economic development 
in border communities. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report on the national strategy developed 
under subsection (a). 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BORDER COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘border 
community’’ means a municipality not more than 15 
miles from a land port of entry. 
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(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Commerce. 
Æ 
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