Everything Secretary of State Hughs said at the RGVMPO board meeting

PHARR, Texas - Texas Secretary of State Ruth Ruggero Hughs recently gave a major speech about international trade at a meeting of the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization.The meeting was held at the Pharr Events Center.In her remarks, Secretary Hughs pointed out that the total assessment of trade transported between the Texas-Mexico border is valued at $615 billion and accounts for 68 percent of all U.S.-Mexico trade. This relationship is also directly tied to more than one million trade-dependent jobs in Texas with an economic impact of $260 billion, Hughs pointed out. In addition, the movement of goods that crosses through the RGV contributes $40 billion to the GDP of the U.S.“As we Texans know, there's no better place to do business than in the Lone Star State,” Hughs said. “This week's trip to the Rio Grande Valley was an incredible opportunity to engage with and learn from community stakeholders on the various issues and challenges they face, as well as avenues for growth. I also appreciated the continued partnership that we have with our Mexican counterparts as we work collaboratively to grow the Texas-Mexico relationship. I remain committed both now and in the future to working alongside leaders from the Valley to foster opportunities for economic growth and prosperity to ensure that we forge a brighter future for all.”One of the key items Hughs brought up in her speech was the Texas-Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan. The plan addresses the needs, challenges, opportunities, and funding strategies, such as public-private partnerships, to move people and goods more quickly and efficiently across Texas' 28 border crossings. Hughs pointed out that the BTMP is the result of joint efforts between the Texas Department of Transportation and the Border Trade Advisory Committee, which she chairs in her capacity as Texas' Border Commerce Coordinator. In December, Hughs presented the 400-page BTMP to the Texas Transportation Commission. In March, the TTC approved the plan. It now awaits its adoption by the board into the Unified Transportation Program, the state's 10-year transportation plan.It is estimated that the Rio Grande Valley will receive more than $11 billion to address the needs of the region. Editor's Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian website.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.