[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15315-15316]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I am very pleased that the Senate has now 
finally passed the Senate Transportation appropriations bill. It has 
been a long and arduous process, but we have done the right thing 
today. We have done the right thing for our constituents who have been 
sitting in traffic, for our constituents who are concerned about safety 
at our airports, for our constituents who daily travel in this country, 
who use our waterways and our highways and our air transportation 
system.
  We have moved this bill forward in a way that I think is very sound. 
We have tried to meet the needs, as I said, of all of the Senators, who 
I think have done a good job on this floor. But, most importantly, I am 
especially pleased that we have moved the Senate Transportation 
Appropriations bill out of the Senate without compromising one iota on 
the safety of our families on our highways in regard to the Mexican 
truck provision. I think that is absolutely the way to go. I commend my 
colleagues who stood with me on this issue as we have moved this bill 
through the Senate.
  I also take this opportunity to thank my staff: Peter Rogoff, Kate 
Hallahan, Denise Matthews, Cyndi Stowe, Angela Lee, and Dale Learn; as 
well as Senator Shelby's staff: Wally Burnett, Paul Doerrer, and 
Candice Rogers; and our Commerce Committee staff: Debbie Hersman.
  All of our staff members have spent countless hours in this Chamber, 
negotiating late into the night on many evenings over the past 10 days. 
I especially thank all of them for their tremendously good work and 
hard work and for being a part of getting this bill passed out today.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.
  Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. President, I congratulate Senator Murray for her 
success on Transportation appropriations. This Senate, commencing a 
summer recess, is required to deal with Mexican trucks and northeastern 
cows. We now have one success behind us, and one more to go.
  There are those who are going to claim that our insistence on the 
inspection of Mexican trucks is somehow a defeat for free trade. 
Nothing could be further from the truth. The commitment of this Senate 
to free, fair, and open trade is complete. We understand that the 
foundation of our prosperity rests upon open markets and free trade. 
But because we worship at the altar of free trade does not mean we have 
abandoned our faith in truck safety, the rights of labor, or 
environmental protection. We must keep a commitment to all of these 
things at the same time.
  The roads of the United States are open to Mexican trucks--as they 
are open to Canadian trucks--when Mexico can pass a regimen of truck 
weights, the licensing of drivers for hazardous cargo, that licenses 
are issued to 21-year-old drivers, and that the Mexican trucks can meet 
our safety requirements.
  Upon current inspections, nearly 40 percent of Mexican trucks are 
failing inspections. Our borders are not ready for 24-hour inspections 
to ensure safety. We want Mexico to have access to American highways. 
But for 50 years we have insisted that all trucks on our highways have 
limited weights, properly licensed drivers, and disclose hazardous 
cargoes. As we have insisted upon these requirements for Canadian and 
American drivers, we insist upon them for Mexican drivers. We welcome 
that day. What we have done today is a success.

[[Page 15316]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's 2 minutes have expired.
  Mr. TORRICELLI. I know in time Mexico will be able to comply with 
these requirements.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I extend my appreciation to the majority 
leader and to the Republican leader for negotiating this issue out so 
that we could move forward. I did not enjoy this exercise. As I 
mentioned before, I have never--and I have been in the Senate since 
1987--engaged in parliamentary maneuvering in order to block 
consideration of a bill. And I would not have--and I hope I never have 
to again--if it were not for the fact that it is a solemn treaty. So I 
thank the majority leader for his assistance in working this out, as 
well as Senator Lott.
  During the upcoming recess, we are going to meet with the Department 
of Transportation administration officials to find out exactly what 
language it is that they need in order to satisfy the concerns we all 
have about the present language in the bill, which they view and the 
Mexicans view as a violation of NAFTA. I hope we can come back, at the 
end of the recess, and we can agree on that language. Then we can move 
forward.
  However, I remind my colleagues that there are three more--three 
more--cloture votes that may be required which will all involve, of 
course, extended debate. I do not want to do that. But, if necessary, 
we will continue through until finality because we really are concerned 
about language on an appropriations bill affecting a solemn treaty made 
between three nations.
  So again, I thank the majority leader for working this out and giving 
us the courtesy he has extended. I apologize to him for impeding the 
important work of the Senate. I hope he understands why we had to do 
this. I am hopeful this will all be worked out over the recess so that 
we can come to an agreement on language which will achieve the goal we 
seek, which is to make sure that every vehicle that enters the United 
States is safe and inspected and every driver is licensed and 
qualified.
  So I hope we can get this issue resolved. I hope the administration 
will be able to work with us and the other side and develop the 
necessary language. I hope we do not have to continue this 
parliamentary maneuvering, but we will, if necessary. I hope all 
understand that this is the importance of this issue.
  Mr. President, I yield the remainder of my time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.

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