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What is the Border Legislative Conference?

The Border Legislative Conference (BLC) is a program administered by the Council of State Governments (CSG)-WEST and its regional partner in the South, the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC), that serves as a mechanism for on-going dialogue and collaboration among state legislators of the United States and Mexico . The goal of the project is to empower border state legislators to engage in the binational agenda and provide input and direction in the development of policy between both countries.   

            The BLC fosters the development of shared solutions along the border region through joint consideration of common problems and exchange of information.  The BLC also seeks to establish efficient and strategic collaborative efforts with multi level governments and non-governmental organizations to the end that border communities and state governments on both sides of the border may be strengthened and improved.

            Membership in the BLC is comprised of legislators from the ten states along the U.S.-Mexico border.  These states include California , Arizona , New Mexico , and Texas in the U.S. , and Baja California , Sonora , Chihuahua , Coahuila, Nuevo Leon , and Tamaulipas in Mexico . 

            The staff of CSG-WEST and the SLC provide the administrative support of the program, including the coordination and organization of forums, preparation of recommendations and analysis, and the implementation of policies and actions as directed by participating legislators.  Program staff consists of a program director, an administrative assistant and support staff from CSG’s Western, Southern and Washington , D.C. offices.

            Financial support of the program is provided by a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).  For more information about the BLC, you may contact Edgar Ruiz , Program Director of the Border Legislative Conference, at (916) 553-4423 or by e-mail at eruiz@csg.org .