Thread: Congressmen lead way to stop DOT’s attempt to open border

Congressmen lead way to stop DOT’s attempt to permanently open border

By Jami Jones, Land Line senior editor

With the ink barely dry on the newly signed cross-border trucking program with Mexico, Rep. Peter DeFazio, along with Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-CA, and Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-IL, immediately introduced a bill on Wednesday that will put a stop to permanent operating authority and taxpayer-funded monitoring of Mexican motor carriers.

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood's return flight from Mexico probably hadn't even touched down in Washington, DC, yet when DeFazio, Hunter and Lipinski filed HR2407 the "Protecting America's Roads Act."

“As I have said many times, three issues must be addressed in the cross-border trucking program: safety, security and job loss,â€

"I hope they can stop this before more Americans are replaced by mexico!"

"Having a CDL won't mean squat!"

I knew they would come after the truckers jobs, I didn't think it would be this quick!

Originally Posted by stevetheroofer

"Having a CDL won't mean squat!"

I knew they would come after the truckers jobs, I didn't think it would be this quick!

This has been in the works since 1994 when Bush signed NAFTA.

HR2407 the "Protecting America's Roads Act."

This is a bill we all need to support.

U.S. and Mexican officials signed an agreement Wednesday allowing each country's trucks to traverse the other's highways, implementing a key provision of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement after nearly two decades of bickering.

US, Mexico sign cross-border trucking agreement

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-242689.html

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-6394--0-0.html

H.R.2407 -- Protecting America's Road Act (Introduced in House - IH)

To protect the safety of America's roads by limiting the operation of motor carriers domiciled in Mexico beyond municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border to a pilot program.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Protecting America's Roads Act' or `PARA'.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON OPERATING AUTHORITY.

(a) In General- Unless expressly authorized by Congress, the Secretary of Transportation may not grant authority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border except under a pilot program that meets the requirements of this Act.

(b) Pilot Program Duration- Any pilot program carried out pursuant to this Act shall--

(1) not exceed a period of 3 years; and

(2) be carried out for a period sufficient to generate statistically valid findings on the safety impacts of the pilot program.

(c) Pilot Program Requirements- In carrying out any pilot program pursuant to this Act, the Secretary--

(1) shall meet the requirements of section 6901 of Public Law 110-28, section 350 of Public Law 107-87, and section 31315(c) of title 49, United States Code;

(2) may not grant a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico authority to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border permanently, or for any period that exceeds the duration of the pilot program;

(3) shall require motor carriers domiciled in Mexico and participating in the pilot program to submit to electronic monitoring to ensure compliance with the Secretary's hours of service regulations; and

(4) may not purchase, acquire, or install electronic on-board recorders for motor carriers domiciled in Mexico and participating in the pilot program.

(d) Suspension of Authority- The Secretary shall suspend the authority of all motor carriers domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border on the date of termination of any pilot program carried out pursuant to this Act.

(e) Report to Congress- Not later than 60 days after the termination date of any pilot program carried out pursuant to this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall report to Congress on the impact on safety as a result of such pilot program.



http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:h2407:

Lipinski blasts deal allowing Mexican trucks on U.S. roads

BY ART GOLAB Staff Reporter
July 8, 2011 6:16PM

Updated: July 8, 2011 11:34PM



Mexican trucks filled with goods from south of the border could be rolling into Chicago as early as next month under a deal just signed by the Obama administration and the Mexican government.

In return for the U.S. allowing the trucks north of the border, the Mexican government is dropping tariffs on $2.3 billion dollars worth of American goods.

That means Christmas trees from Oregon and apples from Washington state will cost about 20 percent less in Mexico. Pork exports to Mexico are also expected to soar.

Farmers and business groups, excited at the possibility of doing more business with Mexico, hailed the deal.

However the agreement — which fulfils a long-debated provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement — prompted howls from the both the Teamsters Union and independent truck owner-operators.

They say it will kill jobs and make highways less safe.

And with the ink barely dry on the deal, U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), co-sponsored legislation that would cut off funds the Department of Transportation needs to implement the agreement.

Currently, Mexican trucks are only allowed 25 miles north of the U.S. border. From there it is American trucks and drivers that do all of the hauling of Mexican goods.

“Opening the border to dangerous trucks at a time of high unemployment and rampant drug violence is a shameful abandonment of the Department of Transportation’s duty to protect American citizens from harm and to spend American tax dollars responsibly,â€