Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced in Brownsville that a provision he requested has been included in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations bill that would block U.S. funding from being sent to Mexico until the U.S. Secretary of State certifies that Mexico is delivering the water it owes the United States under the 1944 Water Treaty.
“Until Mexico properly complies with the Water Treaty and delivers the water it owes the United States, there is no reason American taxpayers should be rewarding their bad behavior,” Cornyn said. “This provision to prevent funding from going to Mexico is yet another tool at our disposal to push for compliance and the long-overdue water deliveries our farmers and ranchers need.”
Cornyn has made water supply issues in South Texas a central focus of his work in Congress, particularly the impact of delayed water deliveries on farmers and ranchers in the Rio Grande Valley. His office said he has helped secure more than $280 million in emergency assistance for farmers and producers affected by water shortages tied to reduced flows in the Rio Grande.
As part of those efforts, Cornyn previously asked U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to renew diplomatic pressure on Mexico to meet its treaty obligations. According to Cornyn’s office, Rubio committed to holding Mexico accountable for continued delays in water deliveries.
Cornyn has also urged action through multiple channels. He sent a letter to the North American Development Bank (NADBank) calling for the restoration of its Water Infrastructure Fund. He raised concerns after a Rio Grande Valley sugarcane mill closed due to severe water shortages, cosponsored a resolution supporting diplomatic engagement, and sent a letter to then–Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the department to address what he described as Mexico’s violation of the treaty’s intent.
In addition, Cornyn led a letter to leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on State and Foreign Operations urging them to withhold certain funds from Mexico until an agreement is reached to address the water delivery deficit. His office said that language was later included in a House Appropriations Committee funding bill. Cornyn also introduced legislation last year aimed at holding the Mexican government accountable for failing to meet its water delivery requirements.
Under the 1944 Treaty Relating to the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande, Mexico is required to deliver an average of 350,000 acre-feet of water each year to the United States over a five-year cycle as part of the Rio Grande’s water supply. Cornyn’s office said Mexico has routinely postponed those deliveries until late in the cycle, making it difficult for South Texas farmers to plant crops and for ranchers to ensure adequate water for livestock.
