U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar celebrated the successful passage of their bipartisan proposal to reform the presidential permitting process for new and expanded border bridges in Laredo, Eagle Pass, and Brownsville. The announcement took place during a press conference at Laredo’s World Trade Bridge, which is set for expansion with an additional 10 lanes, bringing the total to 18 and facilitating increased trade with Mexico. The reform aims to address delays in the transportation of goods caused by lengthy construction approval processes. President Joe Biden recently signed the proposal into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2024. The reform streamlines the permitting process for construction projects at border crossings, allowing conditional permits while ongoing environmental reviews are conducted. The initiative is seen as a significant bipartisan victory for Texas, particularly benefiting the nation’s largest port of entry in Laredo, which experienced substantial commercial traffic increases in recent years.