Last week, Senate Appropriators approved an amendment that would impose restrictions on DOT’s proposed pilot program for Mexican trucks. Senators Murray (D-WA) and Feinstein (D-CA) succeeded in passing an amendment during the Appropriations Committee markup of the supplemental Iraq war funding bill (S. 965) to require a public comment period for DOT’s proposed pilot program as well as to delay its implementation until U.S. trucks are granted reciprocal access into Mexico. The Iraq-war spending legislation is currently being considered by the full Senate. Additionally, Representative Duncan Hunter (R-CA), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, is expected to introduce legislation, the “NAFTA Trucking Safety Act,” which will increase safety and security requirements on trucks entering the United States from Mexico.
Mary Peters, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, spoke about the pilot program at the recent Border Trade Alliance (BTA) International Conference in Washington, D.C. Secretary Peters describe the program as replacing an “inefficient process” where Mexican trucks are forced to unload their cargo at the border, transfer it to a short-haul intermediary carrier before being transferred again to a U.S. carrier.
The BTA has long supported efforts to grant Mexican trucks access to U.S. roadways under the same safety and security rules required for U.S. trucks. The BTA similarly supports the removal of restrictions by the Mexican government that prevent U.S. carriers access to operate within Mexico.
1 Comment
Because of the USA’s problem of the abundance of illegal aliens coming from Mexico, I have to agree with Representative Duncan Hunter’s introduction of a “NAFTA Trucking Safety Act” to increase safety and security requirements on trucks entering the USA. Although, the Act will only work if who they put in charge on the border follow through according to the law of the Act. The American peoples’ safety and security is most important in these days of illegal aliens and insurgents. I applaud the BTA for fighting for equal trade to and from Mexico as our economy needs free trade. Thank you for having vigilance in your representation in this matter.
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