PLAN FOR 1,000 MORE AGENTS

HIDALGO More than 1,000 Customs inspectors would be dispatched to the
U.S.Mexico border to help ease bridge delays and combat illegal drugs
under a proposal by U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm.

"Gridlock at our international crossings serves no useful purpose and
damages efforts to improve our trade relationship with Mexico," Gramm,
RTexas, said Wednesday.

He plans to introduce legislation in January calling for 1,705 additional
U.S. Customs employees to be dispatched to border crossings. About 1,330
would be assigned to the U.S. Mexico border, where 3,741 Customs employees
are now stationed. Another 375 workers would be deployed to the U.S. border
with Canada.

Under the proposal, at least 612 inspectors would be assigned to the Texas
border, including 89 in McAllen and 98 in Laredo. Gramm said his proposal
calls for detection equipment needed to slow the flow of illegal drugs
across the Mexico border.

Copyright 1997 Houston Chronicle News Services