Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

"On March 23, 2010 in Mexico City, the U.S. and Mexico launched the foundation of a 21st century bilateral partnership called "The New Border Vision." After months of consultation with the Calderon administration and joined by Secretaries Gates and Napolitano, Secretary of State Clinton announced a new policy named "Beyond Merida." The new federal accord has four key policy pillars: disrupt capacity of organized crime to operate; institutionalize capacity to sustain rule of law; create a 21st century border structure; and build strong and resilient communities. Here in the "Pass of the North," Beyond Merida must mean safety, jobs and mobility."

This city's future was entrusted to the University of Texas at El Paso on Tuesday by businessman Woody Hunt and his wife, who gave the school a $5 million gift to change the economic direction of the region.

On the evening of Wednesday, June 23rd, Paul Volcker, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, was monitoring events on Capitol Hill from his office, which overlooks the ice-skating rink at Rockefeller Center. Volcker, who is eighty-two years old, works at a polished granite desk covered with correspondence, books, and financial reports. Apart from a slight loss of hearing, he is in robust health, and when he rises to greet guests he towers above them. His height (six feet eight inches) is initially intimidating, but that impression is soon mitigated by his wry manner. For a year and a half, Volcker, who serves as an economic adviser to President Barack Obama, had been waging a campaign to curb greed and speculation on Wall Street. This effort was reaching a climax, as the Senate and the House of Representatives worked to reconcile the lengthy financial-reform bills that each had passed.

In D.C., Presidents Obama and Calderon will meet soon on historic reforms to Border security, mobility and jobs. Texas is best served if Perry is at the table and working on good policy and better solutions, not more pandering to extremists."

After a decade of budget malpractice in Austin, UTEP and all nine school districts in El Paso face massive deficits. Just last week, our office spoke with a superintendent who faces a ten percent deficit that "must be resolved today." At UTEP, many programs are now facing cuts due to lack of support from the state of Texas. And on April 15th, Tea Party protesters did what they do best. Just what happened here?