I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4003 
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 
JUNE 12, 2025 
Mr. VASQUEZ (for himself and Mr. CISCOMANI) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation 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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