Thread: Hoffa Praises Senate For Blocking Mexican Truck Program

Hoffa Praises Senate For Blocking Mexican Truck Program





Dorgan-Specter Amendment Blocks Funding for Bush Administration Pilot Program
http://www.teamster.org/07news/nr_070911_2.asp
Contact:
Leslie Miller
(202) 624-6911
September 11, 2007




(Washington, D.C.) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Tuesday praised the U.S. Senate for voting overwhelmingly to slam the door on the Bush administration's illegal, reckless plan to open our border to trucks from Mexico.

The Senate on Tuesday voted 74-24 to block funding for the pilot program, mirroring the House vote on July 24. The measure was an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Transportation Appropriations bill. It was sponsored by Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

"The American people have spoken, and Congress has spoken," Hoffa said. "Now it's time for the Bush administration to listen. We don't want to share our highways with dangerous trucks from Mexico."

"On the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, I'm sure every American is relieved that the Senate voted to make sure that potential threats to national security aren't allowed to travel freely on our highways," Hoffa said.

The Senate action followed the tragic truck explosion that killed more than 30 people and injured 150 in Northern Mexico on Sunday.

The Teamsters have long fought against the cross-border trucking program. On August 30, a federal judge denied the Teamsters' motion for an emergency injunction to halt the program while its lawsuit is being argued.

The Teamsters' brief in the case is due on Nov. 19 before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The government's brief is due Dec. 17.

"Since Congress has only blocked funding for a year, the Teamsters will continue the fight against this unwise, unsafe program," Hoffa said.

Hoffa noted that the first truck to travel beyond the safety zone in Laredo, Texas, delivered steel in North Carolina. "Hasn't North Carolina suffered enough from the effects of these so-called free-trade agreements?" Hoffa said.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking women and men in North America.

This is good news and let us hope we can slam the lid shut on dangerous Mexican trucks traveling on our roads for good.

Now if the Teamsters leadership would confront the outright procurement of illegals going on in their new affiliation--the Change to Win Coalition. Every gain made by the Teamsters in shutting out the incursion of Mexican labor into this country will be undone tenfold by the CTW.
http://www.changetowin.org/about-us/con ... raids.html

Did I read that right? Did the trucks really get blocked? Did Bush not get his way?

You read it right, Betsy. Now cross your fingers that the Transportation bill passes because Dorgan's amendment is just a part of it.

Originally Posted by Captainron

Now if the Teamsters leadership would confront the outright procurement of illegals going on in their new affiliation--the Change to Win Coalition. Every gain made by the Teamsters in shutting out the incursion of Mexican labor into this country will be undone tenfold by the CTW.
http://www.changetowin.org/about-us/con ... raids.html

I win only praise or give Hoffa credit when he negociates citizens "only" in the teamsters workforce with the corporations he deals with!

Wow....this is good news!!! And what a fitting day for this to happen!!!

Makes one feel hopeful again, doesn't it?

Originally Posted by azwreath

Wow....this is good news!!! And what a fitting day for this to happen!!!

Makes one feel hopeful again, doesn't it?

At least it's a step in the right direction.

Originally Posted by fedupDeb

Originally Posted by azwreath

Wow....this is good news!!! And what a fitting day for this to happen!!!

Makes one feel hopeful again, doesn't it?

At least it's a step in the right direction.

Yes it is, Deb. And that's what I look for....all the little steps in the right direction. Otherwise, I'd get sooo discouraged and so infuriated that I'd develop a problem with my blood pressure

"Hasn't North Carolina suffered enough from the effects of these so-called free-trade agreements?" Hoffa said.

Yes, many of the non-elites all across the nation have suffered from the effects of free trade agreements -- as well as from the effects of amnesty and resulting mass illegal immigration which the Teamsters unfortunately support.