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Accomplishments |
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Partnership Major Accomplishments
| Accomplishments in Agriculture | |
| 1948 | Aided in establishment of Texas A&I Experiment Station for the Valley. Compiled more accurate weather forecasting for Valley through U.S. and Mexico cooperation |
| 1952 | Developed Waste Disposal Program to safely remove citrus canning refuse from 50 Valley plants unaccepted my municipal plants because of high acidity content |
| 1956 | Secured $325,000 in federal funds for USDA Horticultural Laboratory |
| 1958 | Financed research and tools to combat black fly agricultural infestations |
| 1964 | Secured 1.5 million bushel export grain elevator at Port of Brownsville so that Valley farmers no longer have to pay shipping to and from as well as storage in Corpus Christi, then back to Valley feedlots |
| 1965 | Facilitated screwworm eradication |
| 1969 | Established Valley Agricultural Research and Development Corporation (VARDC) when 100 investors each contributed $1,000 to make a revolving fund available for land purchases and research projects |
| 1972 | Secured Federal Sugar Cane Act, awarding 100,000 ton quota to RGV Sugar Growers Cooperative; currently the only sugar mill in Texas |
| 1975 | Secured more accurate weather information for Valley through satellite read-out service by National Weather Service |
| 1990 | Financed study of mycotoxins (aflatoxin) in food corn |
| 1991 | Financed research and tools to combat whitefly agricultural infestations |
| 1994 | Opened USDA-ARS Honey Bee Research Unit laboratory on land purchased through VARDC |
| Accomplishments in Education | |
| 1964 | Helped Pan American College secure four-year status |
| 1990 | Organized first Valley Proud Honors Banquet, which every May since, recognizes each valedictorian and salutatorian from every high school, public and private, in the Rio Grande Valley |
| 2004 | Submitted Position Statement on behalf of school districts and business community to Texas Legislative Special Session on Education; Governor Rick Perry responds personally with a visit to the Partnership |
| Accomplishments in Health | |
| 1948 | Relocated Weaver H. Baker Tuberculosis Hospital (600 beds) to keep medical facility in Valley (approved by Texas Board of State Hospitals and Special Schools with $2,700,000 appropriation) |
| 1952 | Distributed Anti-Polio Publicity Campaign |
| 1975 | Launched “seek and search” project, introducing young medical doctors in search of a place to practice to the Valley |
| 1983 | After 18-months of research, published “Valley Goals 2000,” a 148-page master plan for the region; all goals for Valley, including a medical school, are realized |
| 2004 | Championed “Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative,” first ever national study of health among any Mexican-American population |
| Accomplishments in Transportation | |
| 1945 | Advocated causeway construction to South Padre Island |
| 1949 | Contributed towards the successful completion of the Inter-Coastal Canal. Produced first Valley street map |
| 1951 | Campaigned to improve the Mexico highways between Matamoros and Victoria as well as Reynosa and Monterrey |
| 1952 | Hosted Valley-wide Highway Conference, surveying future infrastructure needs and submitting them to the State Highway Department |
| 1967 | Secured first international flight from Valley (TTA flies into Mexico) |
| 1974 | Advocated Queen Isabella Causeway construction |
| 1977 | Successfully advocated Department of Highways and Public Transportation in Austin for a Tourist Information Center in the Valley |
| 1992 | Assembled Regional Mobility Plan, 200-pages demonstrated “a new level of cooperation,” requesting $1.6 billion from Texas Transportation Commission to meet regional infrastructure needs for next 30-years, including highways, international bridges, airports, and ports |
| 1994 | Facilitated second Mobility Task Force, advocating I-69 project |
| 2003 | Presented third Mobility Plan, requesting $3.5 billion from Texas Department of Transportation for regional infrastructure projects; currently, more than $500 million in ongoing construction because of Mobility Plan |
| Accomplishments in Water | |
| 1953 | Conducted underground water survey of four counties, financed with matching grants from U.S. Geological Survey |
| 1966 | Founded Lower Rio Grande Water Committee, which spearheaded bi-national solution then fundraised total Valley share of El Morillo Drain construction ($345,000 in less than one month); to present, Partnership acts as administrative agent, fundraising maintenance costs |
| 2003 | Advocated creation of Rio Grande Regional Water Authority, until its enactment, Rio Grande was only river in Texas without such a state-authorized regional management entity; to present, Partnership acts as administrative agent |
| Accomplishments in Mexico Relations | |
| 1948 | Compiled more accurate weather forecasting for Valley through U.S. and Mexico cooperation |
| 1949 | Aided in the prevention of closing the U.S. Consulate in Matamoros |
| 1951 | Sponsored conference that created a multiple-crossing visa for Mexican citizens Campaigned to improve the Mexico highways between Matamoros and Victoria as well as Reynosa and Monterrey |
| 1967 | Secured first international flight from Valley (TTA flies into Mexico) |
| 1986 | Created Commercial Zone covering four Valley counties so that Mexican trucks can travel freely, facilitating Maquila work which had been limited to only 20 of 80 packing sheds |
| 1990 | Opened annex office in Monterrey |
| 1993 | Anticipating NAFTA, opened the first office established by any U.S. chamber or economic development agency in the state of Tamaulipas, named “Camara de Comercio del Valle de Texas” in Ciudad Victoria |
| 1995 | Saved the U.S. Consulate at Matamoros from closure by going to D.C. “with one voice,” then inviting Ambassador Wolf to visit the Valley |
| 2003 | Hosted first annual reception with U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza at his official residence in Mexico City so that members and associates may establish relationships with Mexico business leaders and public officials; continues to present |
| 2005 | Hosted three receptions, one in Austin, one in Brownsville, one in Ciudad Victoria, so that Tamaulipas Diputados and Texas Legislators may be more familiar with their neighbors |
| Accomplishments in Tort Reform | |
| 1990 | Established Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) to help reduce excessive jury awards and frivolous or fraudulent lawsuits; soon expanded with active charters in 28 states |
| 1992 | CALA, presented by Bill Summers, met with Vice President Dan Quayle to discuss tort reform legislation |
| 2003 | CALA credited with language and passage of Proposition 12, limiting jury awards in Texas |
| 2004 | Advocated lawsuit reform and personal responsibility in a letter to the editor published by Newsweek alongside letters from the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the president of the American Bar Association |
| 2005 | CALA credited when tort reform established as national initiative during presidential election and state of the union address. CALA hosts John Stossel of ABC News 20/20 in presentation addressing lawsuit abuse entitled, “Give Me a Break!” |
| Accomplishments in Tourism | |
| 1949 | Produced “Opportunity in the Magic Valley,” a 24-page booklet presenting the natural beauty of the region through a national distribution |
| 1951 | Secured Port Isabel Lighthouse state park designation |
| 1952 | With Pan American College, prepared the first survey ever of winter tourist business in Valley |
| 1963 | Promoted Valley to 80 million listeners through “Radio Free Europe” broadcast segment |
| 1968 | Included Valley as part of the Texas Tropical Trail, one of ten scenic routes in the Texas Trail Program |
| 1977 | Successfully advocated Department of Highways and Public Transportation in Austin for a Tourist Information Center in the Valley; during its first year, Tourist Information Center tops traffic of all facilities in state |
| 1979 | Initiated Winter Texas Appreciation program, which continues through present with each season |
| 1989 | Campaigned to keep Confederate Air Force in the Valley |
| Accomplishments in Economic Development | |
| 1948 | Improved mail service among Valley cities and brought airmail service to Valley |
| 1952 | United listings into one Valley-wide phone directory. Successfully advocated reactivation of Moore Field ($11,000,000 appropriation)After Southern Pacific Railroad discontinued service, developed highway post office service between Valley and San Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi, and other intermediate points |
| 1983 | After 18-months of research, published “Valley Goals 2000,” a 148-page master plan for the region; all goals for Valley, including a medical school, are realized |
| 1984 | Opened Bid Resources Center, serving area manufacturers interested in doing business with the federal government, funded by the Department of Defense |
| 1986 | Created Commercial Zone covering four Valley counties so that Mexican trucks can travel freely, facilitating Maquila work which had been limited to only 20 of 80 packing sheds |
| 1994 | Facilitated Empowerment Zone application, 35 pounds of documentation crammed into four notebooks, resulted in $40 million federal investment in infrastructure and job development over 2 years; anticipated $250 million economic impact; one of only three rural empowerment zones in nation |
| 2005 | Hosted Carlos Gutierrez, recent presidential appointee as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, introducing him directly to international trade and other economic issues affecting this border community |
