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Posted on 09/07/2007 2:56:27 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration's late-night decision allowing Mexican trucks to ply U.S. roads triggered angry criticism Friday from opponents of the trucking program.
John Hill, head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, gave the go-ahead for the trucks late Thursday night, allowing Transportes Olympic of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, to drive its trucks beyond the roughly 25-mile limit from the border where they have been confined.
In return, Mexico granted permission to Stagecoach Cartage in El Paso to operate in Mexico.
Neither company had crossed the border yet, and Hill said the trucks might begin crossing this weekend.
The announcement was made in a news release and conference call with reporters around 9 p.m. EDT Thursday. The announcement had been expected earlier in the week.
"It was done in the dark of the night with very little notice," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., who sponsored legislation for the pilot program under certain safety criteria.
The pilot program is restricted to 100 Mexican carriers who are allowed to cross a total 1,000 vehicles.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said he would offer an amendment similar to Fazio's when the Senate takes up the transportation spending bill, probably next week.
"I think they are exhibiting an arrogance that is pretty unbelievable," Dorgan said of the administration. "They've given short shrift to all objections, rushing to allow Mexican long haul trucks into this country."
But Hill said the program should be given a chance to run because every Mexican truck has to meet the same standard as U.S. trucks.
"Every time we get close to fulfilling requirements for what Congress told us to do originally with implementation of NAFTA, there seems to be additional requirements put on to this program," he said.
Before the announcement could be made, the transportation department inspector general and the transportation secretary had to make reports to Congress on safety and other requirements.
The inspector general's report was issued about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
"The DOT waited less than an hour to implement their plan," Dorgan said.
"The inspector general is the one who controls this event. He chose to release his report at 7:30 p.m. After he releaed his, then we released ours. We did it as expeditiously and responsibly as we could," Hill said.
The 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, promised access to all U.S. highways by 2000 to Mexican and Canadian truckers.
Canadian trucking companies already have full access to U.S. roads, but Mexican trucks can travel only about 25 miles inside the country, or 75 miles in Arizona.
Lawsuits and opposition by labor and safety groups have stalled the opening of roads to Mexican trucks.
The inspector general's report to Congres said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association had made progress in addressing Congress' requirements.
But it also said the administration had no coordinated plans for checking trucks and drivers participating in the test program, and that the motor carrier safety group needed to do more to help enforce the English requirements for drivers.
Five states told the inspector general's office they were not ready to enforce the safety rules for the trucks during the pilot project. Twenty-six states raised one or more concerns.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration made some adjustments in response to the report.
Fazio said he still worries that Mexico does not have a certified drug testing facility or limits on driving times.
The Teamsters sued to stop the pilot program. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association asked the U.S. appeals court in Washington Friday to suspend the program pending a review of it by the court.
Clayton Boyce, vice president of public affairs for the American Trucking Association, said the group has grave concerns of how the pilot project would be carried out and whether it would be safe, even though they supported NAFTA.
What President authorized this piece of crap?
Let’s see: in the works since 1994, and originally scheduled for 2000. How long is a night in Rep. DeFazio’s solar system?
Congress is upset about this?
Be right back-going over to Snopes for a minute.
According to this article, your ACU rating must be below 20 in order to be truly upset . . . but two lib congressmen aren’t very “representative.”
Klinton of course , although he never pushed for commencement of this provision . Now comes Bush , who seems all to eager to appease Mexico at any cost .
Give them a wide berth, folks!
The education system has finally scored a victory by producing a congress possessing a “Sesame Street” level of education.
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>What President authorized this piece of c-—?<
If you are asking about the formation of NAFTA, William Jefferson Clinton to begin with.
But Jorge Boosh is actively using it, and wide open borders during wartime, to promote his globalist goal of one world government. You know, the New World Order that GHWB spoke of so often? Life under the UN.
This should hurt her thighness with the unions, and the rest of those who value American sovereignty. She is claiming her husband’s presidency as being equivalent to her own experiences, so she can own up to all of his actions just as soon as the MSM asks her the hard questions.
November 13, 1979Read it and weep.
While officially declaring his candidacy for President, Ronald Reagan proposes a “North American Agreement” which will produce “a North American continent in which the goods and people of the three countries will cross boundaries more freely.”
Duncan Hunter’s Lifetime ACU rating is 92.
Clinton but Bush Sr. supported it as well. Perot is the only candidate that shot it down.
Wow! My memory didn’t retain that! Reagan did some things I did not approve of, but I really don’t remember that he was the father of NAFTA. Perhaps it wasn’t called NAFTA until Clinton’s administration. GHWB was Reagan’s vice president, of course.
You are right, 1rudeboy. We should all weep.
Reagan’s theoretical/philosophical instincts were, and are, correct. You can safely argue the world has changed, however.
“John Hill, head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, gave the go-ahead for the trucks...”
Of course the next question for these morons infesting Washington is, Why do you allow unelected bureaucrats - in the Executive branch - to write law? Writing law was meant to be your job, you lunatics. Then you wonder why your approval rate is 14% and falling.
If it were up to me, sergeantdave would drown half you creeps in a kiddie swimming pool and ship the other half one-way to North Korea.
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