Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON — Today Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) issued the following statement on the need to confirm a new ambassador to Mexico:
“As the representative for a region that shares a long border with Mexico, I understand the need to fill a gap in the ambassadorship to Mexico,” Congressman Cuellar said. “I support President Barack Obama’s nomination of Roberta Jacobson as the next such ambassador. Ms. Jacobson has an impressive array of work experience dedicated to the Western Hemisphere and Mexico and speaks the language fluently.
“I know Ms. Jacobson well from her work on the Merida Initiative, a program which I supported in Congress between the U.S., Mexico and countries of Central America to combat drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and money laundering. Ms. Jacobson ran the State Department’s Mexico office at the time and helped draft the plan.
“It is vital that we have a solid leader with a background such as hers as our nation’s ambassador to Mexico. The U.S. and Mexico share a 2,000-mile border, and the relations between our two nations have a drastic impact on millions on Americas. One million American citizens live in Mexico, and Mexico is the top tourist destination for Americans, with over 20 million visiting the country in 2013. Mexico is our nation’s second-largest export market and third-largest trading partner.
“In 2014 two-way trade in goods and services was more than $550 billion. That’s nearly $1.4 billion of two-way trade between our two nations every day. In addition to this, there are other important issues to solve for which an ambassador like Ms. Jacobson will be vitally important, such as finding approaches to combat transnational organized crime, enhance law enforcement cooperation and stem the flow of illicit money, drugs, people and arms across our borders.
“Ms. Jacobson currently serves as the State Department’s Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs and has served in this role admirably. She is a career civil service officer with extensive experience in Western Hemisphere and Mexican affairs, and she would make an excellent ambassador.”
Congressman Cuellar’s letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid urging the Senate’s confirmation of Ms. Jacobson may be found here. Twenty-seven other members joined him in his support.
