Friday, April 20, 2007 – The first legislation to slow the Bush administration’s push to open the border to 100 Mexican motor carriers – with an unlimited number of trucks – could be one step away from hitting the president’s desk.
Section 4001 of the U.S. Senate’s supplemental appropriations bill, passed in early April, was added by Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA.
The amendment proposing to delay the program was submitted to the Senate Appropriations Committee after it was cleared with Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond, R-MO.
The amendment would restrict spending any money on allowing Mexican motor carriers to operate beyond the border zone until three conditions are met. Those conditions are:
- Granting such authority must first be tested as part of a pilot program;
- The pilot program must comply with the requirements of Section 350 of the 2002 appropriations legislation and the requirements of Section 31315(c) of Title 49, United States Code, related to the pilot programs; and
- Simultaneous and comparable authority to operate within Mexico is made available to motor carriers domiciled in the United States.
Murray submitted the amendment to the committee and it was accepted on a voice vote – with no opposition.
The full bill passed with Section 4001 in tact and must now be reconciled with the House of Representatives supplemental appropriations bill.
Both chambers of Congress have selected conference committee members who will meet to decide on a final version of the bill to be sent to the president for a signature. Those meetings were expected to begin Friday, April 20.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is pushing hard for Section 4001 to make it into the combined bill.
“This is must-pass legislation – in one form or another – and it’s on a tight time schedule. That gives Section 4001 a good shot at becoming law simply because the stand-alone bills face almost certain veto,” said OOIDA Director of Regulatory Affairs Rod Nofziger.
“Now is the time for OOIDA and anyone wanting this ill-advised program from going forward to call their House and Senate members who are members of the conference committee.”
Nofziger said even if you cannot speak directly to your lawmaker, talking to a legislative assistant in support for Section 4001 will be relayed to the lawmaker.
“Time is of the essence. Opportunities like this don’t come along often,” Nofziger said.
The main number to the Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Simply call the main number and ask to be connected to the office of one of the conference committee members listed below.
Senate conferees
(alphabetical by state)
Richard Shelby, R-Alabama
Ted Stevens, R-Alaska
Dianne Feinstein, D-California
Wayne Allard, R-Colorado
Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii
Larry Craig, R-Idaho
Richard Durbin, D-Illinois
Charles Grassley, R-Iowa
Tom Harkin, D-Iowa
Sam Brownback, R-Kansas
Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana
Barbara Mikulski, D-Maryland
Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi
Christopher “Kit” Bond, R-Missouri
Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska
Judd Gregg, R-New Hampshire
Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey
Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico
Byron Dorgan, D-North Dakota
Arlen Specter, R-Pennsylvania
Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island
Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota
Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee
Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas
Robert Bennett, R-Utah
Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont
Patty Murray, D-Washington
Robert Byrd, D-West Virginia
Herbert Kohl, D-Wisconsin
House Conferees
(alphabetical by state)
Jerry Lewis, R-California
Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida
C.W. “Bill” Young, R-Florida
Jack Kingston, R-Georgia
Peter Visclosky, D-Indiana
Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky
John Olver, D-Massachusetts
Joseph Knollenberg, R-Michigan
Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi
Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-New Jersey
Nita Lowey, D-New York
Jose Serrano, D-New York
James Walsh, R-New York
David Price, D-North Carolina
David Hobson, R-Ohio
John Murtha, D-Pennsylvania
James Clyburn, D-South Carolina
Chet Edwards, D-Texas
Frank Wolf, R-Virginia
Norman Dicks, D-Washington
Alan Mollohan, D-West Virginia
David Obey, D-Wisconsin
