I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3049 
To restore growth, spur job creation, build momentum toward economic recov-
ery for border communities and the United States, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 
Mr. GRIJALVA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on 
Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure, Small Business, 
Oversight and Government Reform, Foreign Affairs, and Agriculture, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To restore growth, spur job creation, build momentum to-
ward economic recovery for border communities and the 
United States, 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 ‘‘Border Infrastructure 
and Jobs Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The United States and Mexico share a bor-
der of nearly 2,000 miles, a cultural heritage, and 
a desire to grow both economies through cooperation 
and hard work. 
(2) Border commerce is vital to the United 
States economy. Mexico is the United States third- 
largest trading partner, behind only Canada and 
China. In 2010, trade between the United States 
and Mexico reached $367,000,000,000, amounting 
to more than $1,000,000,000 per day. 
(3) Mexico is the second-largest export market 
for United States businesses and approximately 22 
States depend on Mexico as their number one or two 
trading partner. 
(4) The growth of international trade has out-
paced United States land ports of entry’s workload 
capacity, resulting in congestion and delays. This in-
creased congestion hurts businesses that rely on safe 
and efficient cross-border traffic. 
SEC. 3. UNITED STATES-MEXICO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP 
COMMISSION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established an inde-
pendent commission to be known as the United 
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States-Mexico Economic Partnership Commission 
(referred to in this section as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
(2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Commis-
sion are to— 
(A) study the overall economic strategies, 
programs, and policies of Federal departments 
and agencies along the United States-Mexico 
border, including the Department of Homeland 
Security, the Department of Commerce, and 
other relevant departments and agencies; 
(B) strengthen relations and collaboration 
between communities along the United States- 
Mexico border and the Department of Home-
land Security, the Department of Commerce, 
and other Federal departments and agencies 
that carry out such strategies, programs, and 
policies; and 
(C) make recommendations to the Presi-
dent and Congress with respect to such strate-
gies, programs, and policies. 
(3) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(A) VOTING MEMBERS.—The Commission 
shall be composed of 16 voting members. The 
Governors of the States of Arizona, California, 
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New Mexico, and Texas shall each appoint four 
such members, of whom— 
(i) one shall be a local elected official 
from each such State’s border region; 
(ii) one shall be an individual from 
academia or a community leader of each 
such State; and 
(iii) two shall be from each such 
State’s border region business community. 
(B) NONVOTING MEMBERS.—The Commis-
sion shall be composed of two nonvoting mem-
bers, of whom— 
(i) one shall be appointed by the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security; and 
(ii) one shall be appointed by the Sec-
retary of Commerce. 
(4) QUALIFICATIONS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Members of the Com-
mission shall be— 
(i) individuals with expertise in migra-
tion, border enforcement and protection, 
civil and human rights, community rela-
tions, cross-border trade and commerce, or 
other pertinent qualifications or experience; 
and 
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(ii) representative of a broad cross 
section of perspectives from the region 
along the international border between the 
United States and Mexico. 
(B) POLITICAL
AFFILIATION.—Not more 
than two members of the Commission appointed 
by each Governor in accordance with paragraph 
(3)(A) may be members of the same political 
party. 
(C) NONGOVERNMENTAL
APPOINTEES.— 
An individual appointed as a voting member to 
the Commission may not be an officer or em-
ployee of the Federal Government. 
(5) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All mem-
bers of the Commission shall be appointed not later 
than six months after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. If any member of the Commission de-
scribed in paragraph (3)(A) is not appointed by such 
date, the Commission shall carry out its duties 
under this section without participation of such 
member. 
(6) TERM OF SERVICE.—The term of office for 
members shall be for the life of the Commission. 
(7) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Commis-
sion shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in 
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the same manner in which the original appointment 
was made. 
(8) MEETINGS.— 
(A) INITIAL
MEETING.—The Commission 
shall meet and begin the operations of the Com-
mission as soon as practical. 
(B) SUBSEQUENT
MEETINGS.—After its 
initial meeting, the Commission shall meet upon 
the call of the chairman or a majority of its 
members. 
(C) OUTREACH.—The Commission shall 
formulate and implement an effective outreach 
strategy to border communities along the 
United States-Mexico border. 
(9) QUORUM.—Nine members of the Commis-
sion shall constitute a quorum. 
(10) CHAIR
AND
VICE
CHAIR.—The voting 
members of the Commission shall elect a Chairman 
and Vice Chairman from among its voting members. 
The term of office shall be for the life of the Com-
mission. 
(11) STRUCTURE.—The Commission shall have 
a Federal, regional, and local review structure, and 
shall be divided into two subcommittees, one such 
subcommittee focused on border technology, equip-
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ment, and infrastructure, and one such sub-
committee focused on cross-border trade policies and 
programs. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Commission shall review and ex-
amine cross-border trade policies, strategies, and pro-
grams with Mexico, including— 
(1) the effect of operations, technology, and in-
frastructure along such border on the— 
(A) environment; 
(B) cross-border traffic and commerce; 
(C) privacy rights and other civil liberties; 
and 
(D) the quality of life of border commu-
nities; 
(2) the extent of the negative economic impact, 
if any, on the United States due to staffing needs 
at land ports of entry along the such border; 
(3) whether border policies and practices ensure 
that the free flow of legitimate travel and commerce 
is not diminished by efforts, activities, and programs 
aimed at securing the international land ports of 
entry along the United States-Mexico border; and 
(4) any other matters regarding cross-border 
trade policies, strategies, and programs the Commis-
sion determines appropriate. 
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(c) POWERS OF COMMISSION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) 
HEARINGS
AND
EVIDENCE.—The 
Commission or, on the authority of the Com-
mission, any subcommittee or member thereof, 
may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act— 
(i) hold such hearings and sit and act 
at such times and places, take such testi-
mony, receive such evidence, administer 
such oaths; and 
(ii) subject to subparagraph (B), re-
quire, by subpoena or otherwise, the at-
tendance and testimony of such witnesses 
and the production of such books, records, 
correspondence, memoranda, papers, and 
documents as the Commission or such des-
ignated subcommittee or designated mem-
ber may determine advisable. 
(B) SUBPOENAS.— 
(i) ISSUANCE.—A subpoena may be 
issued under this subsection only— 
(I) by the agreement of the 
chairman and the vice chairman; or 
(II) by the affirmative vote of six 
members of the Commission. 
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(ii) SIGNATURE.—Subject to clause 
(i), subpoenas issued under this subsection 
may be issued under the signature of the 
chairman or any member designated by a 
majority of the Commission, and may be 
served by any person designated by the 
chairman or by a member designated by a 
majority of the Commission. 
(iii) ENFORCEMENT.—In the case of 
contumacy or failure to obey a subpoena 
issued under this paragraph, the United 
States district court for the judicial district 
in which the subpoenaed person resides, is 
served, or may be found, or where the sub-
poena is returnable, may issue an order re-
quiring such person to appear at any des-
ignated place to testify or to produce docu-
mentary or other evidence. Any failure to 
obey the order of such court may be pun-
ished by such court as a contempt of such 
court. 
(2) CONTRACTING.—The Commission may, to 
such extent and in such amounts as are provided in 
appropriation Acts, enter into contracts to enable 
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the Commission to discharge its duties under this 
Act. 
(3) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission is au-
thorized to secure directly from any executive 
department, bureau, agency, board, commission, 
office, independent establishment, or instrumen-
tality of the Government, information, sugges-
tions, estimates, and statistics for the purposes 
of carrying out this Act. Each such department, 
bureau, agency, board, commission, office, inde-
pendent establishment, or instrumentality shall, 
to the extent authorized by law, furnish such 
information, suggestions, estimates, and statis-
tics directly to the Commission, upon request 
made by the chairman, the chairman of any 
subcommittee created by a majority of the 
Commission, or any member designated by a 
majority of the Commission. 
(B) RECEIPT, HANDLING, STORAGE, AND 
DISSEMINATION.—Information, suggestions, es-
timates, and statistics referred to in subpara-
graph (A) shall only be received, handled, 
stored, and disseminated by members of the 
Commission and its staff in accordance with all 
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applicable statutes, regulations, and Executive 
orders. 
(4) ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
(A) 
GENERAL
SERVICES
ADMINISTRA-
TION.—The Administrator of General Services 
shall provide to the Commission on a reimburs-
able basis administrative support and other 
services for the performance of the Commis-
sion’s functions. 
(B) OTHER
DEPARTMENTS
AND
AGEN-
CIES.—In addition to the assistance prescribed 
in subparagraph (A), the heads of Federal de-
partments and agencies may provide to the 
Commission such services, funds, facilities, 
staff, and other support services as they may 
determine advisable and as may be authorized 
by law. 
(5) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may 
use the United States mails in the same manner and 
under the same conditions as Federal departments 
and agencies of the United States. 
(d) COMPENSATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Members of the Commission 
shall serve without pay. 
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(2) REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES.—All mem-
bers of the Commission shall be reimbursed for rea-
sonable travel expenses and subsistence, and other 
reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by such 
members in the performance of their duties. 
(e) TRAINING.—The Commission shall establish a 
process and criteria by which Commission members re-
ceive orientation and training on cross-border trade poli-
cies, strategies, and programs with respect to Mexico. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date 
of the first meeting called pursuant to subsection 
(a)(8)(A), the Commission shall submit to the President, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of 
Commerce, and Congress a report that contains— 
(1) findings with respect to the duties of the 
Commission; 
(2) recommendations regarding cross-border 
trade policies, strategies, and programs with respect 
to Mexico; 
(3) suggestions for the implementation of such 
recommendations; and 
(4) a recommendation as to whether the Com-
mission should continue to exist after the date of 
termination described in subsection (i), and if so, a 
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description of the purposes and duties recommended 
to be carried out by the Commission after such date. 
(g) RESPONSE TO REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the receipt of the report required under subsection 
(f), the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary 
of Commerce shall jointly issue a response describing how 
the Department of Homeland Security and the Depart-
ment of Commerce will implement the recommendations 
contained in such report. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section. 
(i) SUNSET.—Unless the Commission is re-authorized 
by Congress, the Commission shall terminate on the date 
that is 60 days after the date the Commission submits 
the report described in subsection (f). 
SEC. 
4. 
PORT 
SECURITY 
AND 
TRADE 
FACILITATION 
GRANTS. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Commerce, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
shall establish a program under which grants may be pro-
vided to develop and expand trusted shipper programs for 
small- and medium-sized businesses for the purpose of fa-
cilitating border commerce. 
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(b) APPLICATIONS AND CONDITIONS.—In carrying 
out the grant program described in subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Commerce— 
(1) shall establish a notification and application 
procedure; and 
(2) may establish such conditions, and require 
such assurances, as may be appropriate to ensure 
the efficiency and integrity of the grant program. 
(c) SUNSET.—The grant program described in sub-
section (a) shall terminate on the date that is five years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) LIMITATION.—The sum for all fiscal years of the 
amounts awarded as grants under this section may not 
exceed $10,000,000. 
SEC. 5. IMPROVING PORTS OF ENTRY ON THE SOUTHWEST 
BORDER FOR BORDER SECURITY AND OTHER 
PURPOSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Administrator of the General Services Ad-
ministration— 
(1) $200,000,000 for fiscal 2013 solely for 
planning, management, design, alteration, and con-
struction of United States Customs and Border Pro-
tection owned land border ports of entry along the 
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