[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 106 (Thursday, July 26, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S8254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             MEXICAN TRUCKS

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the issue of 
Mexican trucks.
  I want to applaud Senator Murray and Senator Shelby for their efforts 
to craft a common-sense solution on this issue. Their provision would 
ensure strong safety requirements and would be consistent with our 
obligations under NAFTA.
  As most people are well aware, the last Administration delayed 
opening the border to Mexican trucks because of serious safety 
concerns.
  Indeed, numerous reports have documented these concerns--failing 
brakes, overweight trucks, and uninsured, unlicensed drivers--to name 
just a few.
  The most recent figures of the Department of Transportation indicate 
that Mexican trucks are much more likely to be ordered off the road for 
severe safety deficiencies than either U.S. or Canadian trucks.
  While a NAFTA arbitration panel has ruled that the United States must 
initiate efforts to open the border to these trucks, we need to be 
clear about what the panel has said.
  The panel indicated:

       The United States may not be required to treat applications 
     from Mexican trucking firms in exactly the same manner as 
     applications from United States or Canadian firms. . . . U.S. 
     authorities are responsible for the safe operations of trucks 
     within U.S. territory, whether ownership is United States, 
     Canadian, or Mexican.

  Moreover, the panel also indicated that U.S. compliance with its 
NAFTA obligations ``would not necessarily require providing favorable 
consideration to all or to any specific number of applications'' for 
Mexican trucks so long as these applications are reviewed, ``on a case-
by-case basis.''
  In other words, the U.S. government is well within its rights to 
impose standards it considers necessary to ensure that our highways are 
safe.
  The Administration has suggested that it is seeking to treat U.S., 
Mexican, and Canadian trucks in the same way--but we are not required 
to treat them in the same way. That's what the NAFTA panel said.
  With Mexican trucks, there are greater safety risks. And where there 
are greater safety risks, we can--and must--impose stricter safety 
standards.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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