Sunday, March 22, 2009

McCAIN, Let Mexican Trucks Roll on U.S. Roads


On Friday we reported that Congressman Jeff Flake of Arizona's Sixth Congressional District introduced legislation to fund the U.S./ Mexico Border Land Transportation Program that allows Mexican trucks in the U.S., "JEFF FLAKE WANTS MEXICAN TRUCKS IN U.S.," in order to bring the U.S. into compliance with the North American Free Trade Agreement, (NAFTA).

Flake's bill, H.R. 1611, would repeal language included in the FY 09 omnibus spending bill that prohibits funding for the program to allow Mexican trucks to travel throughout the United States.

Under NAFTA, trucks from Canada, Mexico and the United States were to have free access throughout the three nations by 1999, the U.S. however, restricted Mexican trucks to a 20-mile commercial zone at the border. In 2001, a NAFTA arbitration panel ruled that the U.S. was in violation of NAFTA.

U.S. Senator John McCain, in response to Mexico's reaction to raise tariffs on American imports because of the U.S. restrictions on unsafe Mexican truckers on U.S. highways issued the following statement from his Washington office.

MEXICAN GOVERNMENT TO RAISE TARIFFS ON AMERICAN PRODUCTS

March 16, 2009

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement in response to the announcement made by the Mexican government to raise tariffs on American products:

"I deeply regret the action taken by the Mexican government and the harm it may cause to American businesses," said Senator John McCain. "Unfortunately, this is a predictable reaction by the Mexican government to a policy that now puts the United States in clear violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and was inappropriately inserted into the Omnibus appropriations bill. We must take steps to prevent escalation of further protectionist measures – actions that only serve to harm American business during these tough economic times when these businesses need a worldwide marketplace to prosper. This is another reason why the President should have vetoed the Omnibus spending bill."


The American Conservative Republican asks that if you see Mexican trucks on our highways, you should thank Congressman Jeff Flake and Senator John McCain for taking those jobs away from American truckers and making our highways more dangerous to travel on.

BOB HARAN,
American Conservative Republican

No comments:

Post a Comment