Politics

Trucks Bill Gets Green Light

July 25, 2001 / 11:41 AM EDT / CBS

The Senate ignored a Bush administration veto threat Thursday and voted to end Republican delaying tactics that have held up proposed safety standards for Mexican trucks entering the United States.

The 70-30 vote came despite efforts by GOP leaders and White House officials to keep alive a filibuster that was aimed at forcing a weakening of the regulations, which President Bush considers too restrictive.

Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Phil Gramm, R-Texas, who have led the effort to weaken the safety provisions, have promised additional procedural delays.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said he hoped to complete the bill by week's end, but it was unclear how long that would take.

Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the United States is obligated to allow Mexican trucks to operate in here. But some in Congress are trying to establish more rigorous safety standards for Mexican trucks.

CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller reports the president Thursday sounded irritated with those pushing the tougher rules.

"It is wrong for the Congress to discriminate against Mexican trucks," Mr. Bush said.

The battle has spotlighted political, regional and ideological disputes over how tightly to restrict trade agreements. Thursday's vote was also seen as a test of how solidly GOP senators want to back Mr. Bush, and take on the new Senate majority leader, on the complicated issue.

The House has already defied Mr. Bush on the issue, voting on June 26 to completely block Mexican trucks from venturing beyond roughly 20 miles north of the border. That provision has also drawn a veto threat.

The proposed restrictions are included in a $60.1 billion measure financing transportation programs for next year.

Supporters say the tougher requirements for Mexican trucks are justified because more of them fail safety inspections. They also say their proposal would not violate NAFTA, because the treaty gives the United States the right to impose the standards it chooses.

Opponents say the provisions would be so difficult and time-consuming to impose that they would endanger NAFTA and other trade agreements and effectively bar Mexican trucks from most of the United States for years.

The White House wants to let Mexican vehicles travel throughout the United States beginning Jan. 1. Currently, they can only ply a roughly 20-mile-wide zone north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The proposed requirements include American audits of Mexican trucking companies, more scales and U.S. inspectors at the 27 border crossings and greater U.S. access to the records of Mexican freight firms and drivers.

Mr. Bush has proposed letting the trucks in first, then auditing the Mexican companies over the following 18 months.

Mr. Bush initially wanted to Mexican trucks drive on all U.S. roads for 18 months while the safety reviews of Mexican companies were conducted.

Under pressure from opponents, the adminisration eased its stance last week and said it wanted safety inspections of trucks before they enter the United States.

The president is supported by U.S. trucking companies and businesses whose products are shipped on trucks, but opposed by the Teamsters and highway safety groups.