Thread: Bill would kill Mexican truck program after pilot ends

Bill would kill Mexican truck program after pilot ends
07/31/2008

WASHINGTON -- The controversial Mexican truck pilot program may be coming to an end.

Mexican trucks would be barred from U.S. highways, and the Department of Transportation prohibited from enacting future cross-border programs for Mexican truckers under a measure introduced in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) introduced a bill this week that would prohibit DOT from granting "authority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border after September 6, 2008" unless the action is "expressly authorized by Congress."

The measure would also require DOT to halt its current pilot program for Mexican trucks by that date.

The one-year pilot project was launched last September and allows pre-selected Mexican carriers to haul beyond the longstanding 20-mile commercial restriction zone at the U.S.-Mexican border.

The new bill also includes an oversight regime if and when the program is restarted

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee plans to vote on the measure today.

The bill drew support from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and the Teamsters, which have been trying to get the program canned since it began.

Earlier this year, the Senate voted 75 to 23 and the House voted 411 to 3 to keep the border closed to Mexican trucks. However, the DOT kept it going anyway, arguing that the previous bill's language refers to funds "to establish" a program, and doesn't apply to the program already underway.

DeFazio proposal also includes an oversight regime of the program. It seeks to establish an independent review panel that is to report to Congress on a variety of aspects of the program, including:

The effects on motor carrier safety, including an analysis of any wrecks involving motor carriers participating in the demonstration project; Recommendations of modifications to the process of granting authority to Mexico-based motor carriers to operate beyond the commercial zones; and modifications needed for monitoring future operations of participating carriers.
http://www.todaystrucking.com/news.cfm?intDocID=20037

I thought this was already fixed to stop a couple weeks ago....didn't they stop all funding of this program or does it still have to go through the House and Senate?

I thought this killed the program...

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-122879-mex ... +programme

Teamsters Praise Dorgan for Mexican Truck Amendment

Hoffa Lauds Sending of Clear Message t o Bush Administration

WASHINGTON, July 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa commended the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday for approving an amendment to ban any and all programs to open the border to long-haul trucks from Mexico.

The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), removes the Bush administration's pretense that it can lawfully operate a pilot program to allow Mexican trucks to travel freely on U.S. highways. It passed by a vote of 20-9.

A federal law took effect on Dec. 26 that bans funding for the Bush administration's pilot program allowing dangerous Mexican trucks into the U.S. interior. In brazen defiance of that and other laws, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) claimed it didn't understand the intent of the law. FMCSA refused to shut down the pilot project that had begun shortly after Labor Day.

"This amendment makes it as clear as day that Congress wants the border closed to dangerous trucks," Hoffa said.

"The Bush administration apparently doesn't give a damn if Americans get killed on the highways," Hoffa said. "We're grateful that Sen. Dorgan and the members of the Appropriations Committee do give a damn."

"It's outrageous that this program has been allowed to continue despite the fact that it's endangering American lives," Hoffa said.

The Department of Transportation's inspector general reported earlier this year that FMCSA didn't know if it was inspecting all trucks from Mexico at the border.

FMCSA opened the border to a Mexican trucking company with a long history of hazardous safety violations, Trinity Industries de Mexico. Trinity's 16 trucks averaged 112 violations each -- according to FMCSA's own database -- in the year before it was admitted to the pilot program.

The amendment says none of the funds appropriated for the Transportation Department "may be used, directly or indirectly, to establish, implement, continue, promote, or in any way permit a cross-border motor carrier demonstration program to allow Mexican-domiciled motor carriers to operate beyond the commercial zones along the international border between the United States and Mexico, including continuing, in whole or in part, any such program that was initiated prior to the date of the enactment of this act."

The Teamsters believe the pilot program creates a dangerous precedent on American highways because Mexican trucks and truck drivers are not held to the same safety standards as their U.S. counterparts.

The Teamsters and other safety advocates challenged the legality of the program in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The judges have yet to release their decision.



Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hard-working men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.


Hey Jean, I found this with a search

Since when does this corrupt administration care what Congress or the American people think? After all, note the ignored congressional subpeonas and "executive privilege" invoked when questioned about wrong-doing.

DoT Dept. Secretary Mary Peters really should be in jail right now because of this. To openly defy a lawful directive issued by Congress OR to knowingly lie to a member of Congress in a committee meeting should be enough to charge and convict her of Contempt of Congress.

She's just another pawn of the Boosh Administration and I hope after she leaves office that justice will be served.

Oh, PS. Thanks Rep. DeFazio (yes folks, a Dem. did this - along with Byron Dorgan in the Senate).

Originally Posted by vortex

Since when does this corrupt administration care what Congress or the American people think? After all, note the ignored congressional subpeonas and "executive privilege" invoked when questioned about wrong-doing.

You mean you didn't hear? King George is above the law. In my dreams, I see him being brought up on charges of High Treason.

PhredE wrote:

Oh, PS. Thanks Rep. DeFazio (yes folks, a Dem. did this - along with Byron Dorgan in the Senate).

Yep, a couple bright lights in a gloomy room of darkness. Too bad they're not representative of the majority of Democrats.

On reducing illegal immigration, Dorgan has a C+ carrer grade with NumbersUSA and Defazio a B. To his credit, Sen. Dorgan has always been a huge ally of the middle class worker.

It is actually not so surprising that this measure was brought by a Democrat. Over the last few years the democrats have learned that thinking for themselves as independants and bucking the " Party Line " will actually get them elected. The current political rebellion in Washington is actually much more on the democratic side more than on the republican side.
The republican slime machine does'nt want you to know this. So it rarely if ever attributes anything good to the democrats. Anybody here aware of the fight against Oil Speculators that the republicans have blocked 6 TIMES in 4 months?

lateone wrote:

It is actually not so surprising that this measure was brought by a Democrat. Over the last few years the democrats have learned that thinking for themselves as independants and bucking the " Party Line " will actually get them elected.

???????

I disagree. There has been a bipartisan effort to stop the trucks. The Democrats don't have exclusive rights to the credit. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) has been fighting the program from the very beginning.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/200 ... an-trucks/

Well, I wish more Democrats would break from the party and help us secure this country and strengthen our enforcement against illegal immigration.