Brownsville takes water, space and trade priorities to Washington in search of federal support

Brownsville business and government leaders are in Washington, D.C., this week looking for federal resources to help pay for and advance some of the city’s biggest priorities, including water infrastructure, space commerce, aviation and international trade.

The delegation, organized through the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce’s annual Washington, D.C. Fly-In, is meeting with federal agencies and members of Congress as the city looks for funding opportunities, partnerships and guidance on projects that Brownsville may not be able to finance on its own.

“Our budget does not allow us to do all the things we want to do, so we have to find different ways to get resources to our community,” Brownsville Mayor John Cowen Jr. said in a news release Wednesday. “Building these relationships and understanding how federal programs can support our local priorities is an important part of that effort.” 

Water, space and infrastructure

The trip comes as Brownsville faces growing infrastructure demands tied to residential and industrial development, making water one of the more consequential issues on the delegation’s agenda.