New Mexico Senators Introduce Bill Extending Hours at Ports of Entry

The two senators from New Mexico -- Democrats Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall -- on Feb. 7 introduced the Trade Facilitation and Security Enhancement Act, S.B. 414, which would require the 10 busiest land ports of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border to be open to commercial vehicles 16 hours a day Monday through Friday and at least eight hours per weekend. The extended hours would need to be put in place no later than six months after the bill's passage. They said spending the money to modernize ports and extend hours would "increase international trade and bolster economic development in border communities."

Nogales, Arizona, is open 16 hours a day Monday through Friday; so is Otay Mesa, in California. Some other ports are open 24 hours a day, such as in El Paso. However, New Mexico's Santa Teresa port is open 12 hours a day weekdays, four hours on Saturdays and is closed Sundays. The Columbus, New Mexico, port is open eight hours weekdays, and is closed on weekends. Santa Teresa is the seventh-busiest commercial land crossing on the Southern border.