In this paper we briefly describe the design and initial laboratory performance of the Proportional Counter Array (PCA) for the X-ray Timing Explorer (XTE). The PCA consists of 5 identical, sealed and collimated (1 degree(s) FWHM), xenon/methane multi-anode proportional counters sensitive to x-rays with energies between 2 and 60 keV. Each detector has an effective area of approximately 1,500 cm2. The data system can tag the relative time of arrival of each event with an accuracy of 1 microsecond(s) . The overall absolute time accuracy will be maintained by the spacecraft to better than 1 ms. Following the design principles of the HEAO-1 A2 HED detectors, the PCA adopts the interleaved anode connection scheme with an active propane anti-coincidence layer in the front and a similar anti-coincidence xe/methane layer on three other sides of the detector. The interleaved anode connection scheme and the anti-coincidence layers reject background events caused by charged particles with high efficiency, thus significantly reducing the background event rate at lower energies. As of June, 1993, the fabrication and assembly of all the five detectors had been completed. Their performance evaluation and characterization are currently under way. XTE is scheduled to be launched with a Delta-II rocket in the summer of 1995.