[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 29, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H5047-H5048]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SUPPORT FOREIGN TRUCK SAFETY ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in opposition to NAFTA and 
its provisions to expand Mexican trucking privileges into the United 
States.
  When we debated NAFTA in 1993, supporters claimed that NAFTA would 
not harm American workers and workers in Mexico and would not harm the 
environment. Unfortunately, they were wrong. This treaty has sent 
thousands of good American jobs south of the border and it has 
subjected that border to increased pollution of the air, water and 
land. Mexican workers are being abused and are not reaping the 
financial or social benefits they were promised. And America is being 
abused by other countries that are sneaking goods into the United 
States through dummy Mexican corporations. These are the most prominent 
promises broken by NAFTA. But we are about to add to the list. This 
administration, under terms of NAFTA, is considering opening up all of 
America to Mexican trucks as of January 1, 2000.
  What will the entrance of Mexican trucks mean for America? It will 
generate more pollution and increase the loss of good-paying American 
jobs. Most seriously, it will threaten the lives of qualified American 
drivers who will be forced to share the road with unqualified foreign 
drivers who, as evidence proves, are driving unsafe, pollution-belching 
trucks.
  U.S. inspectors, some operating just during the weekday hours of 9 
a.m. to 5 p.m. have found that almost 50 percent of inspected Mexican 
trucks have been ordered to undergo immediate service for safety 
problems. This is based on the results of the few inspections of trucks 
already allowed to enter a commercial zone in the U.S. In reality, 
hordes of unexpected foreign trucks cross various border points after 5 
p.m. and before 9 a.m. in the morning and on the weekends when there 
are no inspectors available. Accordingly, the Department of 
Transportation's Inspector General has already concluded that the DOT 
does not have a consistent enforcement program to provide reasonable 
assurance of the safety of trucks entering the United States. How could 
this administration suggest expanding border trucking privileges when 
we cannot regulate the current privileges we offer?
  Unsafe trucks are not only appearing in the four border States, but 
as this map here shows, reports of dangerous trucks have come from at 
least 24 additional States. From Washington to Illinois to New York, 
the entire country is at risk. Therefore, very soon I plan on 
introducing the Foreign Truck Safety Act, legislation that will require 
mandatory safety inspections on all trucks crossing into the United 
States from Mexico. As of January 2, 2000, the Foreign Truck Safety Act 
will authorize the border States to impose and collect fees on trucks 
to cover the cost of these inspections. By requiring all

[[Page H5048]]

trucks to pass inspections before entering the United States, we can 
help to limit the risks these unsafe trucks pose to our citizens. This 
country entered into NAFTA in order to better the lives of our 
citizens. Without this legislation, we will simply put our citizens in 
more jeopardy.
  I think people are more important than profits, and I am concerned 
about the thousands of unsafe Mexican trucks rumbling down our highways 
and biways. Average Americans already are fearful about driving next to 
large safe U.S. trucks that pass inspections. Imagine their fears when 
unsafe Mexican trucks hit our streets, roads and superhighways.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to stand up for Americans. Therefore, I urge 
all my colleagues to work with me to pass the Foreign Truck Safety Act 
so that Americans will never be afraid to drive down Main Street USA.

                          ____________________