WASHINGTON D.C. (KAMR/KCIT) — Officials with the office of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced Tuesday that he introduced bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Senate to formally name the Ports-to-Plains Corridor as Interstate 27.

According to a news release from Cruz’s office, the legislation that Cruz introduced was co-sponsored by U.S. Senators John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Ben Ray Luján, D- New Mexico. The release said that U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, District 19 introduced a similar piece of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I’m proud to have spearheaded and passed the first iteration of Ports-to-Plains. The Cruz- Luján legislation was a tremendous bipartisan victory for Texans and for our nation’s critical infrastructure,” Cruz said in the release. “It will provide access to more efficient and effective transportation, cut costs and support our critical infrastructure. Today, I’m proud to introduce the next step in that journey, legislation to formally name Interstate 27, which will become a vital part of our national highway system for generations to come.”

According to previous reports by MyHighPlains.com, I-27 was designated as an addition to the Interstate Highway System in the 2022 Omnibus Appropriation Bill, with the corridor going from Laredo, Texas to Raton, New Mexico.

“I was proud to work together with Senator Cruz to designate a portion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor as an addition to the interstate system last Congress,” Luján said in the release. “We are continuing to work together to support the development of this corridor in New Mexico and Texas. Our interstates are vital for New Mexico’s economy and safe transportation, and I look forward to advancing this legislation.”