WASHINGTON, DC
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, announced that the Houston Airports System has been identified to participate in reimbursable fee agreements through the US Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP):

“I am pleased to announce that CBP is moving forward with a number of public/private partnerships to help support growth in cross-border trade and travel. Houston Airports System has been identified to participate in one of these partnerships.

As the former Chairwoman of the Transportation Security Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee, I want to thank Secretary Janet Napolitano and CBP Acting Commissioner Thomas S. Winkowski for their hard work on seeing this important initiative through. These services are important to the residents of Houston and they are very much a part of the security of the airport and the extra services are needed in these airports. It is important to continue the federal public/private partnership. This is a positive investment in dollars.

“These authorities afford CBP greater flexibility to work together with our stakeholders to support growth in trade and travel. These partnerships will allow CBP to provide new or additional services, maximizing our resources and encouraging the growth of our national economy while addressing the challenges of our complex mission. The reimbursable services proposals were reviewed and based on criteria including: impact on current CBP operations, health and safety issues, community and economic benefits, and the feasibility of instituting the agreements in a timely manner.

These reimbursable services will go to overtime staffing increase at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.”