REMARKS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY - SANDY K. BARUAH, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - GRUPO IUSA GROUNDBREAKING - LAREDO, TEXAS

TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2007

AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY

Introduction by Mayor Raul G. Salinas

Thank you, Mayor Salinas, for that kind introduction, and thank you for your commitment to public service and your efforts to take a regional approach to economic development and capitalize on Laredo’s proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Ambassador Garza, it is an honor to be here with you today. The President and Mrs. Bush’s trust and confidence in you is clearly well placed, and we all greatly appreciate the important work that you are doing to maintain our close and vital relationship with Mexico.

I am pleased to be with members of the Peralta family, who head one of the world’s most successful and diverse business conglomerates, and have a history of civic engagement.

Successful economic development is regional, which means that it must look beyond political boundaries that have divided us in the past. It wasn’t that long ago when state boundaries were an impediment to business and economic growth. America overcame these challenges, and we now do business across state borders in a completely seamless fashion and, as a result, our economy has greatly prospered.

We can do the same with national boundaries, and with tools like NAFTA we have the ability to – sooner rather than later – achieve the same business transparency between the U.S., Mexico and Canada as we currently have between Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

Of course, we need to do this in a manner that continues to protect the national security of all of our countries, and to ensure the integrity of our laws. And that is what President Bush is working on, and all of you here in Laredo have made a significant step to achieve this reality with this significant international investment in the United States.

I am pleased to be a part of the groundbreaking of this world-class facility, which I understand is expected to create up to 300 highly skilled jobs. I congratulate Grupo IUSA for their decision, which I am confident will be a profitable one for all involved.

I congratulate the leadership of Laredo and the State of Texas for their forward-looking and comprehensive approach to economic development. Most importantly, I congratulate the people of Laredo.

On behalf of the Secretary of Commerce and the President of the United States, congratulations to all involved for this positive step for the economic future of Laredo and the region of South Texas.

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