EL PASO, Texas -- In an exclusive interview with KFOX14 Washington Bureau Reporter Carol Han on Wednesday, Mayor John Cook explained the highlights and low-lights of his efforts in our nation's capital.

Highlights included discussing our complex and delicate economy with Mexico.

"The importance of implementing technology to move goods and services back and forth across the border while not giving up security issues," said Cook.

Low lights include pushing the importance of immigration reform, and getting some push back by legislators.

"What that tells me is that people are not serious about immigration reform right now, it is going to take a backburner. And backburner is OK as long as we don't put it back in the refrigerator," he said.

Cook said transportation in El Paso is another big issue, and is looking toward the federal government for help in the form of a new surface transportation bill.

"It is probably going to be the No. 1 priority the administration is looking at right now, other than what are we going to do about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Cook.

Cook's busy Washington, D.C., schedule ends with meetings this weekend with the National League of Cities, where he hopes to find out what other cities are doing right.

"Find the best practices that I can bring back to my community and make it a better place," he said.

Cook is one of a number of people from the Sun City taking part in the lobbying in Washington, D.C., as part of "Team El Paso."