[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 156 (Monday, November 8, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H11681]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NAFTA PRESENTS ITS OWN Y2K PROBLEM

  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 to continue the litany of charges 
against NAFTA. As we face the end of the millennium, NAFTA presents its 
own Y2K problem: January 1, 2000, crossborder trucking provisions of 
NAFTA are expected to allow Mexican trucks to enter free and clear into 
the United States. A close look into the situation makes NAFTA's Y2K 
problem quite upsetting.
  At a recent National Transportation Safety Board hearing on this 
issue, Mexico refused to send a representative. Canadian and American 
representatives appeared, but Mexico was a no-show.
  Well, if they happen to have come to this meeting they would have 
learned how far they are behind Canada and the United States in 
oversight and regulations.
  Does Mexico have log books? No. Does Mexico have vehicle maintenance 
standards? No. Does Mexico have roadside inspections? No. Does Mexico 
have safety rating systems? No. Does Mexico have medical certification 
of drivers? No.
  Simply put, Mexico does not have any oversight of their trucking 
industry, yet they want the United States to allow their unregulated, 
unsafe Mexican trucks which weigh up to 106,000 pounds, well over the 
U.S. limit of 80,000 pounds, to barrel down our highways and byways. In 
fact, the reason they did not send a representative is that they are 
upset that President Clinton dare hint that he will not allow Mexican 
trucks into the USA as of January 1.
  Well, Mr. Speaker, Mexico is upset that we will not let their mammoth 
106,000-pound unsafe trucks and unsafe drivers into the USA. I say 
unsafe because of the less than 1 percent of Mexican trucks and Mexican 
drivers inspected at the border, over 40 percent have failed 
inspections and were placed out of service. In addition, according to a 
new report from the Department of Transportation's Inspector General, 
over 250 Mexican motor carriers have traveled illegally beyond the 
NAFTA border zone. Therefore, Mexican trucks and drivers have proved to 
be unsafe lawbreakers.
  The Inspector General concluded in his report that, ``Adequate 
mechanisms are not in place to control access of Mexico-domiciled motor 
carriers into the United States.'' To ensure that Mexican motor 
carriers comply with U.S. statutes, the Inspector General suggested 
that, among other methods, fines should be increased for illegal 
activities. Well, Mr. Speaker, under a House-passed bill, we have done 
just that.
  H.R. 2679, the Motor Carrier Safety Act, increases fines up to 
$10,000 and a possible disqualification for a first-time offense, and 
up to $25,000 with a 6-month disqualification for a second offense.
  The previous fine was only $500 to $1,000 and even the Inspector 
General stated as such, motor carriers are likely to consider the fines 
to be simply a cost of doing business.
  Hopefully, the Senate will take up the measure that includes the 
House-passed provisions so that Mexican trucks cannot regard the now 
measly penalty as a cost of just doing business.
  Of course, Mexico is not happy about the increased fines and they and 
others claim that this is a violation of NAFTA. Excuse me, Mr. Speaker, 
but since when is a fine of illegal activities a violation of anything? 
Mexico violates our laws and they say we violate NAFTA?
  Clearly, Mexican trucks should not be allowed into the U.S. and 
President Clinton was right in telling the teamsters that he will not 
open the borders to Mexican trucks come January 1. Well, that might be 
the first right move President Clinton has made regarding NAFTA. He can 
make another right move by starting the process of withdrawing from 
NAFTA altogether. Until then, the horrors of Mexican trucks will just 
be another in the long litany of NAFTA injustices to the United States 
of America and to its citizens.

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