[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15282-15283]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, in every part of our country, Americans 
are frustrated by the transportation problems we face every day.
  We sit in traffic on overcrowded roads.
  We wait through delays in congested airports.
  We have rural areas trapped in the past--without the roads and 
infrastructure they need to survive.
  We have many Americans who rely on a Coast Guard that doesn't have 
the resources to fully protect us.
  We have many families who live near oil and gas pipelines and who 
want us to ensure their safety.
  Our transportation problems frustrate us as individuals, and they 
frustrate our Nation's economy--slowing down our productivity and 
putting the brakes on our progress. It is time to help Americans on our 
highways, railways, airways, and waterways, and we can, by passing the 
Transportation appropriations bill.
  For months, Senator Shelby and I have worked in a bipartisan way--
with almost every Member of the Senate--to meet the transportation 
needs in all 50 States.
  You told us your priorities--and we found a way to accommodate them. 
We have come up with a balanced, bipartisan bill that will make our 
highways safer, our roads less crowded, and our country more 
productive. And now is our chance to put this progress to work for the 
people we represent.
  Our bill has broad support from both parties. It passed the 
subcommittee and the full committee unanimously. Now it is before the 
full Senate--ready for a vote--ready to go to work to help Americans 
who are fed up with traffic congestion and airport delays.
  Today, I hope the Senate will again vote to invoke cloture so we can 
begin working on the many solutions across the country that will 
improve our lives, our travel, and our productivity.
  This vote is about two things: fixing the transportation problems we 
face; and ensuring the safety of our transportation infrastructure.
  If you vote for cloture, you are voting to give your communities the 
resources they need to escape from crippling traffic and overcrowded 
roads.
  If you vote for cloture, you are saying that our highways must be 
safe--that trucks coming from Mexico must meet our safety standards--if 
they are going to share our roads.
  But if you vote against cloture, you are telling the people in your 
State that they will have to keep waiting in traffic and keep wasting 
time in congestion.
  And if you vote against cloture, you are voting against the safety 
standards in this bill. A ``no'' vote would open our borders to trucks 
that we know are unsafe--without the inspections and safety standards 
we deserve. This is not about partisanship or protectionism. It is 
about productivity and public safety.
  I want to highlight how this bill will improve highway travel, 
airline safety, pipeline safety, and Coast Guard protection. First and 
foremost, this bill will address the chronic traffic problems facing 
our communities.
  In fact, under this bill, every State will receive more highway 
construction funding than they would under either the President's 
request or the levels assumed in TEA-21. Our bill improves America's 
highways. Let's vote for cloture so we can begin sending that help to 
your State.
  Second, this bill will improve air transportation. It will make air 
travel more safe by providing funding to hire 221 more FAA inspectors. 
Let's vote for cloture so we can begin putting those new inspectors on 
the job for our safety.
  Third, our bill boosts funding for the Office of Pipeline Safety by 
more than $11 million above current levels. Let's vote for cloture so 
we can begin making America's pipelines safer before another tragedy 
claims more innocent lives.
  Fourth, this bill will give the Coast Guard the funding it needs to 
protect us and our environment. Let's vote for cloture so we can begin 
making our waterways safer.
  These examples show how this bill will help address the 
transportation problems we face. This vote is also about making sure 
our highways are safe--so I would like to turn to the issue of Mexican 
trucks. And I want to clear up a few things.
  Some Members have suggested that Senator Shelby and I have refused to 
negotiate on this bill. That is just not the case. As I have said 
several times here on the floor, we are here, we are ready, and we are 
listening. And we have also had extensive meetings bringing both sides 
together.
  Last week, our staffs met several nights until well after midnight. 
One day our staffs met from 2 o'clock in the afternoon until 3 a.m. in 
the morning. We have worked with all sides to move this bill forward. 
But I want to point something else out to those who say we must 
compromise, compromise, compromise.
  The Murray-Shelby bill itself is a compromise. It is a balanced, 
moderate compromise between the extreme positions taken by the 
administration and the House of Representatives. On one hand, we have 
the administration--which took a hands-off approach to let all Mexican 
trucks across our border--and then inspect them later--up to a year and 
half later.
  Even though we know these trucks are much less safe than American or 
Canadian trucks, the administration thinks it is fine for us to share 
the road with them wihtout any assurance of their safety. At the other 
extreme, was the ``strict protectionist'' position of the House of 
Representatives. It said that no Mexican trucks can cross the border, 
and that not one penny could be spent to inspect them.
  Those are two extreme positions. The administration said; Let all the 
trucks in without ensuring their safety. The House of Representatives 
said; Don't let any trucks in because they are not safe.
  Senator Shelby and I worked hard, and we found a balanced, 
bipartisan, commonsense compromise. We listened to the safety experts, 
to the Department of Transportation's inspector general, to the GAO and 
to the industry. And we came up with a compromise that will allow 
Mexican trucks onto our highways and will ensure that those trucks and 
their drivers are safe.
  With this balanced bill, free trade and highway safety can move 
forward side-by-side. This bill doesn't punish Mexico--and that is not 
our intention. Mexico is an important neighbor, ally, and friend. 
Mexican drivers are working hard to put food on their family's tables. 
We want them to be safe--both for their families and for ours.
  NAFTA was passed to strengthen our partnerships, and to raise the 
standards of living of all three countries. We are continuing to move 
toward that goal, and the bipartisan Murray-Shelby compromise will help 
us get there. Because right now, Mexican trucks are not as safe as they 
should be.
  According to the Department of Transportation inspector general, 
Mexican trucks are significantly less safe than American trucks. Last 
year, nearly two in five Mexican trucks failed their safety 
inspections. That compares with one in four American trucks and only 
one in seven Canadian trucks. Even today, Mexican trucks have been 
routinely violating the current restrictions that limit their travel to 
the 20-mile commercial zone.
  We have a responsibility to insure the safety of America's highways. 
The Murray-Shelby compromise allows us to promote safety without 
violating NAFTA. During this debate we have heard some Senators and 
White House aides say that they think ensuring the safety of Mexican 
trucks would violate NAFTA.
  I appreciate their opinions. But with all due respect, there is only 
one authority, only one official body, that decides what violates NAFTA 
and what doesn't. It's the arbitral panel established under the NAFTA 
treaty itself. That official panel said:

       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 . . .

[[Page 15283]]

       U.S. authorities are responsible for the safe operations of 
     trucks within U.S. territory, whether ownership is United 
     States, Canadian, or Mexican.

  It is that simple. We can ensure the safety of Mexican trucks and 
comply with NAFTA--and this bill shows us how with commonsense safety 
measures.
  Under our bill, when you are driving on the highway behind a Mexican 
truck, you can feel safe. The administration's plan is far too weak. 
Under the administration's plan, trucking companies would mail in a 
form saying that they are safe and begin driving on our highways.
  No inspections for up to a year and a half. The administration is 
telling American families that the safety check is in the mail. I don't 
know about you, but I wouldn't bet my family's safety on it. I want an 
actual inspector looking at that truck, checking that driver's record, 
making sure that truck won't threaten me or my family.
  The White House says: Take the trucking company at its word that its 
trucks and drivers are safe. Senator Shelby and I say: Trust an 
American safety inspector to make sure that truck and driver will be 
safe on our roads. This is a solid compromise. It will allow robust 
trade while ensuring the safety of our highways. The people of America 
need help in the transportation challenges they face every day on 
crowded roads.
  This bill provides real help and funds the projects that members have 
been asking for. Some Senators would hold every transportation project 
in the country hostage until they have weakened the safety standards in 
the Murray-Shelby compromise. That is the wrong thing to do.
  Let's keep the safety standards in place so that when you're driving 
down the highway next to a truck with Mexican license plates you will 
know that truck is safe. Let's vote for safety by voting for cloture on 
this bill.
  So in closing, this vote is about two things: Helping Americans who 
are frustrated every day by transportation problems and ensuring the 
safety of our transportation infrastructure.
  Voting for cloture means we can begin making our roads less crowded, 
our airports less congested, our waterways safer, our railways better, 
and our highways safer.
  Those who vote for cloture are voting to begin making progress across 
the country and to ensure the safety of our highways.
  Those who vote against cloture are voting to keep our roads and 
airports crowded and to expose Americans to new dangers on our 
highways.
  The choice is simple, and I urge my colleagues to vote for cloture so 
we can begin putting this good, balanced bill to work for the people we 
represent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Miller). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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