FMCSA rolls through Congressional stop sign for Mexico truck program

[BuyingThyme]

FMCSA rolls through Congressional stop sign for Mexico truck program

The Trucker Staff
12/27/2007

...

At issue is a single paragraph in the massive omnibus spending package approved by Congress and signed by President Bush Wednesday. That $555 billion bill funds the Iraq war into next year and keeps the federal government running through September.

...

“None of the funds made available under this Act may be used to establish a cross-border motor carrier demonstration program to allow Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to operate beyond the commercial zones along the international border between the United States and Mexico,” the amendment says.

Simple enough, say the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and an array of highway safety advocates and anti-immigration groups.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, however, reads the fine print differently.

“In accordance with the 2008 omnibus appropriations act, the U.S. Department of Transportation will not establish any new demonstration programs with Mexico.,” an FMCSA statement, released after the bill was signed, reads. “The current cross-border trucking demonstration project — established in September — will continue to operate in a manner that puts safety first, with participating Mexican carriers subject to all safety standards required by the 2008 omnibus bill, while giving U.S trucking companies new opportunities and U.S. consumers significant savings.”

...

http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2007/12/27/FMCSArollsthroughCongressionalstopsignforMexicotruckprogram.aspx

[alfredo]

1. the Junta knows what is right for us.

[TomInTib]

2. "released after the bill was signed"

Probably right on the heels of georgie's Signing Statement.