Posted on 09/01/2007 11:04:13 AM PDT by Reagan Man
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration can proceed with a plan to open the U.S. border to long haul Mexican trucks as early as next week after an appeals court rejected a bid by labor, consumer and environmental interests to block the initiative.
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The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco late on Friday denied an emergency petition sought by the Teamsters union, the Sierra Club and consumer group Public Citizen to halt the start of a one-year pilot program that was approved by Congress after years of legal and political wrangling.
The Transportation Department welcomed the decision and said in a statement that allowing more direct shipments from Mexico will benefit U.S. consumers.
The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement approved broader access for ground shipments from both countries but the Clinton administration never complied with the trucking provision. A special tribunal ordered the Bush administration to do so in 2001.
"This is the wrong decision for working men and women," Jim Hoffa, president of the Teamsters, said in a statement after the court ruling. "We believe this program clearly breaks the law." The Teamsters represents truckers that would be affected by the change.
The emergency stay was sought on grounds the administration's pilot program had not satisfied the U.S. Congress' requirements on safety and other issues. But the appeals court ruled otherwise.
SAFETY ASPECTS
The administration plans to start the program on September 6. Transportation Department officials hope to receive final clearance early next week from the department's inspector general's office, which is reviewing its safety aspects, and finalize details with Mexican authorities.
The Mexican government must grant reciprocal access to U.S. trucks under NAFTA. That provision is not expected to be a problem, regulators said.
Mexican trucks operating in the United States have for years been restricted to U.S. points near certain large border crossings where their goods are transferred to trucks owned by U.S. firms.
Under the pilot program, Mexican long haul trucking companies that have met safety, licensing, and other U.S. requirements will be allowed to operate their rigs throughout the country. Proponents say this will reduce costs and speed up shipments.
Trucking regulators said in a court filing the goal is to gradually accommodate 100 Mexican trucking companies by the end of the pilot program, or roughly 540 large trucks.
But opponents said those figures do not reflect the number of companies that could seek access to U.S. roads if the pilot is successful, which they said raises safety concerns.
"This (pilot) program is basically a show trial. They haven't provided notice up front about who will participate. You just don't know what the program will look like," said Bonnie Robin-Vergeer, attorney for Public Citizen.
Public Citizen and the Teamsters still plan to proceed with a lawsuit they filed in federal court, challenging the Mexican truck program on broader grounds. That case will not likely be decided until next year.
Trucks from Canada have no operating restrictions in the United States.
ok, we all know what these truckers will be bring into the country, illegal drugs and human smuggling,
what will they be bringing home to their country???
FGS! We are surrounded by traitors...
Profits before country, regardless of consequences.
Ah we American tax payers have been coughing up the dollars to pave the road of I-35 South up to North corridor. Welcome mat already funded.
Because we're on the same side in this one ... I'll refrain from any Schnieder jokes ... which are myriad.
I hope that the DOT will require the Mexican truckers to follow the exact same regs that our truckers have to follow, carry the same or higher insurance that ours have to carry, that their trucks meet or exceed the same safety and equipment standards ours have to meet and that their drivers are licensed to the same or higher standards that ours have to be licensed to.
Whoa! Seems I’ve heard this argument before.
Port authorities have a woefully inadequate system of inspection. With these trucks added to the burden, I predict that smuggling and human trafficking will increase exponentially.
That’s not racism. It’s just prudent.
If only they could be held accountable.
And you think that denying Mexican truckers access to US highways would in any way reduce that? Dream on.
And suggest some American labor union is the problem?
The problem? Where did I suggest that?
I merely pointed out the obvious: that the unionists will consider this order bad news, as they don't like competition. Unions like to maintain their monopoly over certain industries, not wanting anyone to undercut them -- either foreign or domestic.
Tell me, do you also fear competition? Is that what drives your disdain for Mexican truckers?
They don’t need an excuse. You actually think that average citizen’s lives are important to Congress of the President?
We are all just collateral damage. That is obvious by the number of American citizens who have been sexually assaulted, robbed, murdered, etc. by illegal aliens.
Congress of the President?
should read .......Congress or the President
typing skills, sheesh
We live northeast of Houston in Kingwood, Texas. For the past 8-9 months, I have noticed an increasing number of Mexican railroad engines and cars passing down the tracks along I-59 and south of C.R. 105. I do not ever recall seeing these pass through east Texas before. They are all marked “Ferrocarril Mexicano”.....
What about what they take out? Stolen property, laundered money, sexual slaves, hostages for ransom, children.
Money? /sarc
In all seriousness, don't you expect that even Mexicans will have figured out a way to fill their trucks for the return trip? It's not really something we on Free Republic need to worry about.
I reckon it will be decades before we have a final tally on what damage El Presidente Jorge Boooosh has done to this country.
How in hell were we talked into voting for him?
May God help us.
They will receive a reward for opening up more jobs for illegals.
And you think that denying Mexican truckers access to US highways would in any way reduce that?
Well hells bells, lets just let them all in then.
You betcha, man, lets just open the freaking borders to tens of thousands of Mexican truck. Good thinking Fred. We can't do anything about it anyway. Right?
I merely pointed out...
I know what you pointed out slick...
And I merely pointed out we're surrounded by traitors.
Who you support here is inordinately clear.
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