Results 1 to 6 of 6
Thread: Mexican Truckers
Thread Information
Users Browsing this Thread
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
-
03-11-2009, 09:57 PM #1
Mexican Truckers
Has anyone heard this? I did a search on Alipac and came up with nothing. I am wondering is this to good to be true? Last night on Homeland Security they showed a truck drive loaded down with drugs coming into the country.
The $410 billion omnibus funding bill headed toward President Obama's desk for signing contains a carefully worded measure that would shut down the Bush administration demonstration project allowing 100 Mexican trucking companies to run their long-haul rigs throughout the U.S. in direct competition with American truckers.
The issue became rancorous over the past two years as Bush administration Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters fought off repeated efforts by Congress to confine Mexican trucks to a narrow 20-mile-wide commercial area north of the southern border.
In what appears to be a major victory for Teamster boss James Hoffa, the Obama administration worked closely with Senate Democrats, including Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota to toughen up language of an amendment Dorgan successfully had inserted in the DOT fiscal year 2008 appropriations bill.
Keeping Mexican trucks south of the border appears to be a reward to organized labor for its support of Obama's presidential campaign last year.
The move comes as a blow to free trade advocates in the Republican Party that have pushed hard for new ways to open the Mexican border for increased opportunities between the two countries.
"The driving public is put at risk when trucks from Mexico that don't meet U.S. standards are allowed to roam our highways," Hoffa said in a statement. "The Mexican government has not held up their end of the bargain to meet U.S. standards."
Hoffa said Mexican trucks are "unsafe and Mexican drivers are not required to meet the same criteria that American drivers must meet to earn a commercial drivers license." Hoffa said.
"It's long past time to close the border to these unguided missiles," he said.
WND reported that after the truck project begun, an examination of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration database revealed hundreds of safety violations by Mexican long-haul rigs rolling on U.S. roads under the project.
Opponents of the project have contended that Mexican trucks and truck drivers do not reliably meet U.S. standards.
As WND reported, in a contentious Senate hearing last March, Dorgan in tight questioning got Peters to admit that Mexican drivers were being designated at the border as "proficient in English" even though they could explain U.S. traffic signs only in Spanish.
In the tense hearing, Dorgan accused Peters of being "arrogant" and recklessly disregarding a congressional vote to stop the Mexican project by taking funds away.
As WND reported, opposition in the House was led by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., who in September 2007 accused the Bush administration of having a "stealth plan" to allow Mexican long-haul rigs on U.S. roads.
"This administration [of President George W. Bush] is hell-bent on opening our borders," DeFazio said, "but has failed to require that Mexican drivers and trucks meet the same safety and security standards as U.S. drivers and trucks."
Previously, Peters had argued the wording of the Dorgan amendment did not prohibit the Transportation Department from stopping a Mexican truck project already underway, even if the measure prohibited DOT from starting any new project.
Despite strong congressional opposition, the Department of Transportation under President Bush had announced it planned in its final months to extend the truck project for another two years – an attempt to force the incoming Obama administration to comply.
The restrictions passed in the Omnibus Funding Bill will limit Mexican trucks to a 20-mile commercial zone north of the Mexican border, except in Arizona, where the limit is 75 miles.<div>''Life's tough......it's even tougher if you're stupid.''
-- John Wayne</div>
-
03-11-2009, 11:24 PM #2
- Join Date
- Oct 2007
- Posts
- 5,660
Obama needs to sign first before we celebrate.
I don't want to be negative because we can use all the good news we can get, but I don't want to count the victory until Obama signs his name on the dotted line.
Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
-
03-12-2009, 12:29 AM #3
Mexican Truckers taken off the road by Obama!
He signed that bill today.
http://thecarnut.typepad.com/steve_park ... ogram.html<div>''Life's tough......it's even tougher if you're stupid.''
-- John Wayne</div>
-
03-12-2009, 11:32 AM #4
Administration to reinvent Mexican truck program
Mar 11 06:08 PM US/Eastern
By SUZANNE GAMBOA
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration will try to reinvent a program to allow Mexican trucks full access to U.S. highways.
An 18-month-old pilot program that allowed a few Mexican trucks beyond a border buffer zone died when President Barack Obama signed a sweeping $410 billion government spending bill on Wednesday. The bill barred spending on the pilot program.
A spokeswoman for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Debbie Mesloh, said Obama has told the office to work with Congress, the Transportation and State departments and Mexican officials to come up with legislation to create "a new trucking project that will meet the legitimate concerns" of Congress and U.S. commitments under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Obama's nominee for trade representative, former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, is awaiting Senate confirmation.
The U.S. prohibits most Mexican trucks from driving more than about 20 miles, or 75 miles in Arizona, beyond the border. But the U.S. agreed to lift that ban after signing the 1994 NAFTA deal with Canada and Mexico.
Canadian trucks have no limits on where they can go. But most Mexican trucks can't travel beyond a buffer zone along the southern border. The limits were imposed after lawmakers voiced safety concerns. But Mexico has long called it an unfair effort to protect U.S. jobs.
The previous pilot program allowed access for up to 500 Mexican trucks from 100 operators. It also allowed the U.S. to conduct inspections and other safety activities.
Under pressure from labor, safety and other groups, Congress cut off spending on the program in 2007. But last year, the Bush administration used a loophole in the law to keep it operating.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., sponsor of the provision in the spending bill that ended the program, wrote Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood this month to say he doesn't oppose Mexican long-haul trucks on U.S. roads, but wants them to be safe.
Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman, cheered the end of the truck program.
"I am pleased that Congress has reclaimed its ability to have some bearing on the obligations contained in the surface transportation provisions of NAFTA and has voted for this step forward for highway safety," Oberstar said.
The Mexican government has protested the trucks ban, and prohibits U.S. trucks from driving far into Mexico. It could take additional retaliatory steps, such as raising tariffs on U.S. goods. The administration's announcement Wednesday did not comfort Mexican officials.
"Mexico still believes that the United States' noncompliance on this issue, more than 14 years overdue, is a violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement," said Ricardo Alday, embassy spokesman. But he said Mexico is willing to continue to work with Congress and the U.S. "in finding a solution that honors its international obligation."
The embassy said 103 Mexican trucks belonging to 26 carriers participated in the program. Ten U.S. carriers with 61 trucks could ply Mexico's roads.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1
-
03-12-2009, 06:49 PM #5
The Mexican Government is pretty stupid but we all knew that. Let them charge tariffs and let them keep on flapping there mouths. We have all seen that when Obama gets upset he gets even. They could be asking for 20 million of their citizens to be headed home. Keep it up Mexico. I guess we are still not giving them enough money.
<div>''Life's tough......it's even tougher if you're stupid.''
-- John Wayne</div>
-
03-12-2009, 07:40 PM #6
It will never work because they can not inspect these trucks hauling drugs and smuggling humans 100%
I will never work....never never never!!!Please support ALIPAC's fight to save American Jobs & Lives from illegal immigration by joining our free Activists E-Mail Alerts (CLICK HERE)
Biden’s approval rating continues to plummet due to his...
04-27-2024, 01:48 AM in General Discussion