Posted on 09/11/2007 5:09:04 PM PDT by ruination
WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Tuesday to ban Mexican trucks from U.S. roadways, rekindling a more than decade-old trade dispute with Mexico.
By a 74-24 vote, the Senate approved a proposal by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., prohibiting the Transportation Department from spending money on a North American Free Trade Agreement pilot program giving Mexican trucks access to U.S. highways.
The proposal is part of a $106 billion transportation and housing spending bill that the Senate hopes to vote on later this week. The House approved a similar provision to Dorgan's in July as part of its version of the transportation spending bill.
Supporters of Dorgan's amendment argued the trucks are not yet proven safe. Opponents said the U.S. is applying tougher standards to Mexican trucks than to Canadian trucks and failing to live up to its NAFTA obligations.
Until last week, Mexican trucks were restricted to driving within a commercial border zone that stretched about 20 miles from the U.S.-Mexican boundary, 75 miles in Arizona. One truck has traveled deep into the U.S. interior as part of the pilot program.
Blocking the trucks would help Democrats curry favor with organized labor, an important ally for the 2008 presidential elections.
"Why the urgency? Why not stand up for the (truck) standards that we've created and developed in this country?" Dorgan asked.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who drafted a Republican alternative to Dorgan's amendment, said the attempt to block the trucks appeared to be about limiting competition and may amount to discrimination against Mexico.
"I would never allow an unsafe truck on our highways, particularly Texas highways," he said.
Under NAFTA, Mexico can seek retaliation against the U.S. for failing to adhere to the treaty's requirements, including retaining tariffs on goods that the treaty eliminates, said Sidney Weintraub, a professor emeritus at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs in Austin.
The trucking program allows up to 100 Mexican carriers to send their trucks on U.S. roadways for delivery and pickup of cargo. None can carry hazardous material or haul cargo between U.S. points.
So far, the Department of Transportation has granted a single Mexican carrier, Transportes Olympic, access to U.S. roads after a more than decade-long dispute over the NAFTA provision opening up the roadways.
One of the carrier's trucks crossed the border in Laredo, Texas last week and delivered its cargo in North Carolina on Monday and was expected to return to Mexico late this week after a stop in Decatur, Ala.
The transportation bill is S. 1789.
I heard or read that, under NAFTA, Mexican trucks could run heavier than the US limit.
Do you know if that's true?
This goes a lot deeper than simply opposing competition.
Why assume someone born here is of necessity superior to someone not so fortunate as to their birthplace?
That statement is baloney on multiple levels. It is founded on the same "reasoning" that says we oppose illegals simply because they are Hispanic. Is it wrong to oppose TB ridden illegals because they are [by virtue of having poor medical care] less fortunate than we? No, it is not.
Should I assume that I am better than someone because I am fortunate enough to have been born in a country with decent health care & education? No. I am not "better", but I certainly don't owe it to them to be dragged down to their level. That improves nothing.
There are numerous pitfalls in this trucking business. We owe it to ourselves to protect ourselves. Period.
I can feel the love. LOL.
Then I guess you’d agree home ownership doesn’t impact the economy at all. Very enlightening...
Yeah :-)
Yeah, sure, whatever I say.
Thanks for the sarcasm, jerk.
Look, I know the guy. He’s as reliable and sincere a conservative as exists in government today. You’re not a Texan, and you don’t know what you’re talking about. I was merely trying to tell you what I KNOW, which is, frankly, worth more than what you THINK in this matter.
But it’s free country, and you’re welcome to be wrong on this one if you insist.
We are the world......
I’m saying that continuing to deny and call this agenda a conspiracy, clearly flies in the face of reality.
For now, let’s keep the article in perspective. The Dems caught a Compasionate Conservative President with his head in the sand and they seized the opportunity for some political points. What SHOULD occur is for conservatives to stop and ask “what did the mexican truckers plan have to do with conservatism?”. The answer is simply nothing. Lesson learned, when the Democrats are passing legislation you find yourself in agreement with, ask what the hell your President is doing wrong.
I know, it’s hard to keep it inside at times. Let’s see, I loathe the unions but would prefer to see their members work than alien drivers. Yes, I guess that sounds like oozing love hugh. Heh heh heh...
I don’t know all of their motivations. I’m sure some are pandering to unions. Others may have taken right signal.
But I am looking to see if my senators voted for the ban, and if they did, they will get my B I G THANK YOU!
“All anyone says is if you come to America, you better be legal because there are people all over the world paying their dues, waiting their turn in line. NO ONE gets to shove their way to the front of the line in front of everyone else who is doing it legally.” - ozarkgirl
Do you even know the topic of the subject bill?
That’s another lie. I saw the pics of the Mexican Carriers waiting in line for entry inspection. Most were American co-owned companies. (Schneider, JB Hunt, Knight Trans, Swift)
No one opposes competition...the core issue is that the sovergnty of the Country is being compromised for global and regional trade efforts.
Both Mississippi Pubbies voted no on this!
Hmmm...
So my pub Senator Bond (never was all that fond of him anyway) voted Nay. Apparently McCaskill voted yea? Not bad for a Dim. If she wasn’t a pro-abortion gun grabber, she wouldn’t be half bad.
Based on that list, it appears that, once again, just like with amnesty, each party has an agenda. Dems seek the union vote. And I’ll bet most of those Republicans have been involved in introducing or voting for some kind of cheap labor shamnesty.
The sooner ones such as he are handed their walking papers the sooner this nation is on the mend.
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