Letter Supporting the Cross-Border Trucking Pilot Program

Note: Letter sent to House and Senate Conferees on H.R. 1591

April 20, 2007

The Honorable Robert C. Byrd
Chairman
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Thad Cochran

Ranking Member

Committee on Appropriations

United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Byrd and Ranking Member Cochran:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region, strongly supports the Cross-Border Trucking pilot program announced by Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters on February 23, 2007. This one-year pilot program allows 100 Mexican truck companies to operate beyond the 20-25 mile commercial zones along the United States' Southwest border. Accordingly, the Chamber encourages the conferees on H.R. 1591, the "U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act," to remove Section 4001 from the conference agreement.

Section 4001 would prohibit the use of funds to implement the pilot program until "simultaneous and comparable authority to operate within Mexico is made available to motor carriers domiciled in the United States." This amendment puts the brakes on the expansion of the United States and Mexico's mutually beneficial trade relationship by creating an unnecessary delay in implementing the cross-border trucking provisions of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Safety is of utmost importance to all the parties involved. Questions about safety have been fully answered—every truck entering the U.S. must meet every U.S. safety requirement. The Chamber is confident that, with the required funds, safety enforcement inspections of trucks crossing the U.S.-Mexico border will be carried out rigorously. The U.S. can address these safety concerns while still abiding by its commitment under NAFTA.

The Chamber respectfully urges the conferees to remove Section 4001. Further delay in implementing Department of Transportation's proposed pilot program will only continue to hamper North America's competitiveness, perpetuate congestion and pollution at the border, and stifle economic growth.

Sincerely,
R. Bruce Josten