Cruz Announces U.S.-Mexico Water Agreement Deal

Sen. Ted Cruz (R) announced this week that after pressure from himself and the Trump Administration, Mexico has agreed to honor its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty, securing critical water shipments owed to the United States.

"Mexico’s failures to uphold its water obligations have been devastating to Texas farmers and cities," Senator Cruz said in a statement. "I have been fighting for years to secure those deliveries, including by advancing sanctions legislation in the United States Senate and by emphasizing to both American and Mexican officials that the U.S.-Mexico relationship cannot proceed productively unless Mexico meets its obligations."

The 1944 Water Treaty requires Mexico to deliver an average of 350,000 acre-feet of water per year to the United States over a five-year cycle. However, Mexico has struggled to consistently meet these obligations. Because of this, Texas farmers and communities along the Rio Grande have been significantly impacted because they heavily depend on reliable water supplies for agriculture and municipal needs.

Senator Cruz noted that a $280 million grant secured recently for economic relief in the Rio Grande Valley was only a "stopgap measure" to help Texans cope with the shortages. He stressed the importance of lasting solutions.

"Today’s announcement demonstrates that under the Trump administration and the Republican Congress, the United States will insist that other nations meet their obligations to Americans," Senator Cruz stated. "It will provide critical relief to Texans and establish a basis for the further necessary work that must be done to assure Texas farmers of reliable and predictable water supplies."

The Texas senator credited several officials for their role in reaching the agreement, namely Senator John Cornyn (R) and Texas Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R) among others.

He emphasized that the deal would not have been possible without President Donald Trump's (R) "public stance on holding Mexico accountable" and pledged continued efforts to ensure Texas’ water needs are met for the long term.