A spokesman for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said today, April 27, that the Bush administration had decided to comply with legislation passed this week that would impose conditions on the U.S.-Mexico cross-border trucking plan.
The U.S. Department of Transportation refused to confirm that any concessions had been made or that the plan had been postponed but today issued a two-sentence statement saying the agency continues to “fine-tune” the plan.
Feinstein spokesman Scott Gerber told Overdrive that the senator’s office was told by DOT earlier in the week “that Mexican trucks won’t be allowed to enter the country until trucks from the United States are allowed to enter Mexico.”
DOT declined to comment beyond its two-sentence statement: “Our efforts to begin the cross-border truck demonstration program remain on track as we continue to work with our partners in Mexico and Congress to fine-tune the implementation strategy. Our goal is the same as it has always been, developing a cross-border trade program that is as safe and efficient as possible so consumers can enjoy lower costs, truckers can benefit from increased business opportunities, and both our economies can continue to grow.”
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration spokesman Ian Grossman declined to elaborate on what issues would be addressed in the fine-tuning or how long it would take.
The announcement marked the end of a tumultuous week for the administration’s plan to let Mexican trucks haul freight deep into the United States, as was pledged years ago in the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Bush administration announced in February that 100 initial Mexican trucking companies would be allowed to travel beyond the current 20-mile limit, perhaps as early as May.
On Thursday, April 26, an amendment that could halt the plan passed the U.S. Senate as part of Congress’ $124 billion Iraq war spending bill. The same bill, complete with the trucking amendment, had passed the U.S. House on Wednesday, April 25. The amendment, sponsored by Feinstein and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., would require that congressional mandates be met and that simultaneous Mexican access for American trucks be granted before proceeding with the plan.
