Thread: Trucking security measure heads to president

http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/200 ... 37905.html



Trucking security measure heads to president
Tuesday, Oct 3, 2006

By Aaron Sadler
Stephens Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - Congress has set in motion an overhaul of the nation's truck driver licensing system and new restrictions on non-U.S. truckers.

Legislation ordering the U.S. Department of Transportation to verify the citizenship status of all 11 million commercial driver's license holders was approved on Friday and goes to the president for his signature.

Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., introduced the measure as an amendment to a port security bill in mid-September. The port measure cleared a conference committee with the new trucker rules intact.

The legislation forces the Departments of Transportation to implement recommendations from its inspector general to examine regulations for trucking licenses.

Earlier this year, the inspector general reported that more than 15,000 truckers may have obtained licenses fraudulently between 1998 and 2003.

Current law requires only drivers who transport hazardous materials to prove citizenship. Pryor's bill requires every commercial driver to be a legal U.S. resident with a social security number.

"Federal transportation officials have known about the fraud and abuse that occurs within the system, but they have done very little to fix the situation," Pryor said.

The measure gives the DOT and the Department of Homeland Security 18 months to implement changes.

Trucking companies have endorsed the legislation.

Homeland Security officials would be required to revise customs laws and immigration laws in regard to foreign truckers, specifically those from Mexico.

Pryor said the measure addresses a threat identified by the 9-11 Commission whereby noncitizen truckers violate federal law. Those drivers are allowed to deliver out-of-country loads to a point within 25 miles of the U.S. border, pick up from another point in the United States, and return to their country of origin.

Point-to-point delivery within the United States is illegal, though Pryor said Arkansas police have encountered Mexican truckers violating customs law.

The measure directs the federal government to provide guidelines for state and local law enforcement officers about federal laws that apply to illegal truckers.

"Foreign drivers who violate our immigration and customs laws are both a national security threat and an economic danger to U.S. truckers," Pryor said.












Find this article at:
http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/200 ... 37905.html


SAVE THIS | EMAIL THIS | Close


Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article.

Jumping for Joy ...thank god for this ...

Excellent!

Another small step for mankind. If we have to resolve the issue of illegal immigration one step at a time, so be it. Any progress is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

I must call the Prez and senators ..so this gets signed...I wish I knew how to find the bill so I could read it..I looked at www.lis.gov. but got lost
sheezz..no wonder gov.is so lost.

Not certain but almost positive that:

ACCORDING TO THE NAFTA SUPERHIGHWAY - SPP

Mexican Truckers will have NO RESTRICTIONS

Only American truckers will have to follow the law.

.