Khari Johnson - Business and political leaders converged on the San Ysidro Port of Entry Monday to urge Congress to provide $226 billion needed to complete the final stages of expansion of what is already the nation's busiest border crossing.

Political leaders at the press conference included Imperial Beach Mayor Jim Janney, Rep. Juan Vargas (D-San Diego), Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego), County Supervisor Greg Cox, Interim San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and San Diego City Councilman and mayoral candidate David Alvarez.

San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Jerry Sanders, members of south county chambers of commerce and San Diego Tourism Authority representatives were also at the press conference.

The first phase of the expansion is scheduled to be completed next year. The final two phases of the project have not received funding, a fact local politicians hope changes next month when the House Appropriations Committee meets to discuss budget details.

Once the San Ysidro Port of Entry expansion is complete, northbound vehicle booths will rise in number from 24 to 62, and Interstate 5 at the border will expand from six to 12 lanes.

President Obama put San Ysidro Port of Entry funding in his budget 

Inefficient, slow border crossing and wait times at the San Ysidro Port of Entry cost economies on both sides of the border $7 billion a year, a SANDAG study said.

El Chaparral, the Mexican portion of the border crossing expansion, was completed in November 2012.