OOIDA National Call to Action
March 26, 2007

During the next few days, the U.S. Senate will begin debating a supplemental spending bill that is necessary to provide funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as for many other federal government programs. This is considered “must pass” legislation by everyone on Capitol Hill and in the White House.

This bill will be a magnet for major debates regarding our military operations in Iraq. But again, this is legislation that everyone agrees must pass in some form and must pass before money begins running out for federal programs in mid-April.

Thanks in large part to phone calls from thousands of truckers like you, last Thursday, March 22, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee added an amendment to the bill would effectively put the brakes on the DOT’s planned Mexican trucking pilot program.

That amendment has become Section 4001 of the overall bill referred to as S965.

Large trucking corporations and their big business friends are trying to convince senators to remove Section 4001 from the bill. They will be pulling out all the stops to keep the Mexican truck pilot program on schedule to start next month.

As you know, before the end of April, the U.S. Department of Transportation plans to launch a program to allow 100 Mexico-domiciled trucking companies to operate throughout the United States. There will be no limit on the number of trucks and drivers involved in the program.

Your two U.S. Senators need to hear from you, your family members and your fellow truckers TODAY about the safety, homeland security and economic problems that arise from opening our roads to Mexican-domiciled trucks.

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SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE:

“I am from ___________ and I oppose the Mexican trucking pilot program. As my elected representative, I want the Senator to work to keep Section 4001 in the supplemental spending bill.”

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If you have questions, do not hesitate to call the Association at 1-800-444-5791.