New law blocks Mexico trucks in US
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| Tue, 03-17-2009 - 3:48pm |
http://refrigeratedtrans.com/carriers-shippers/mexican-trucks-cross-border-0317/
Language in the 2009 appropriations act signed into law by President Obama will prevent Mexican-licensed trucks from traveling beyond commercial zones along the US-Mexico border.
This action may be contested as a violation of treaty provisions included in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed earlier during the Clinton administration by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The $410 billion legislation was approved by the Senate March 10 and was signed March 11. It contains a provision that prevents funding for the federal program that allows Mexican motor carriers to operate beyond the US/Mexico border commercial zones.
In September of 2008, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) extended the cross-border trucking demonstration project for two years, and FMCSA-authorized Mexican trucks are continuing to participate. In 2007, Congress mandated that the demonstration project be operated as a pilot program, which is governed by statute and can run for up to three years. The FMCSA program is part of the southern border truck and bus crossing provisions of NAFTA.
The program has been opposed since its inception by several groups, including the Teamsters, Public Citizen, and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
Mexico Raising Tariffs on U.S. Products
http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Mexico-Raising-Tariffs-on-U-S-Products/L438lwsUN02UnsX4AMlxmA.cspx
Mexico is raising taxes on 90 U.S. products in response to the cancellation of a program that allowed some Mexican trucks to transport goods in the U.S. The move could cost America billions of dollars.
The program allowed a few Mexican trucks on U.S. roads ended last week when President Obama signed a spending bill. Mexico says not allowing their trucks on U.S. roads is a violation of NAFTA and will raise taxes on U.S. agricultural and industrial products in response, costing the U.S. about $2.4 billion in trade.
White House officials say they're trying to make good on their NAFTA agreement with Mexico. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says, "The President has tasked the Department of Transportation to work with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of State, along with leaders in Congress and Mexican officials to propose legislation creating a new trucking project that will meet the legitimate concerns of Congress and our NAFTA commitments."
Mexican officials will announce later this week, which U.S. products they'll raise taxes on.





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This was covered by Lou Dobbs last night. Apparently President Obama wants to start getting Mexican trucks back on our highways ASAP.
Transcript at - http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0903/16/ldt.01.html
A quote from the transcript follows - "Mexico today, the government of Mexico saying it will retaliate against the United States after Congress killed a program to allow its trucks to travel deep into the United States. The Mexican government saying it will slap tariffs on 90 American products exported out of Mexico. The White House quickly responded saying he wants to work with Congress to restore the trucking program.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Congress has opposed the project in the past because of concerns about the process that led to the program's establishment and its operation. The administration recognizes these concerns; the president has tasked the Department of Transportation to work with U.S. trade representative in the Department of State, along with leaders in Congress and Mexican officials to propose legislation, creating a new trucking project that will meet the legitimate concerns of Congress and our NAFTA commitments.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: Well, you just watched this White House, the Obama White House and the person -- Robert Gibbs, roll over for the Mexican government. That was about as unprincipled a position as they could have taken, good for them. Gibbs also saying the White House will work with the man who killed the trucking program, Senator Byron Dorgan. Dorgan outraged at Mexico's retaliation. So the work may take a little more than Mr. Gibbs rather blithely put it."
What a great quote!!!
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Yes you're correct.
>"The dispute erupted in 1995 after the U.S. refused to implement a cross-border plan agreed to under the North American Free Trade Agreement, citing safety concerns. The rules would have allowed Mexican trucks to haul goods to a U.S. destination and pick up cargo to return to Mexico."<
>"A pilot program that let as many as 100 Mexican trucking companies haul cargo into the U.S. after meeting safety requirements was implemented in September 2007 and renewed in August for two more years. The program was canceled under a provision in the $410 billion omnibus spending bill passed by Congress this month."<
>"Obama, who criticized NAFTA during his presidential campaign, signed the spending measure approved by Congress that cut the program’s funding. Mexico was notified on March 11 that the pilot program, in which 26 Mexican trucking companies were participating, would be scrapped.
“Congress has spoken and now Mexico has spoken and so it’s going to be up to us to develop a program that meets very high safety standards,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in an interview yesterday. "<
From......
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aNMnPuyYFV5I&refer=canada