The Teamsters union is supporting a $410 billion spending bill House Democrats presented recently that, if approved, would prevent Mexican-licensed trucks from traveling beyond commercial zones along the US-Mexico border.
The latest congressional action is part of an on-going effort by several organizations, including the Teamsters, the Sierra Club, and Public Citizen who have challenged the program in court.
The legislation currently under consideration would prevent funds from being used to establish, implement, continue, promote or permit Mexican motor carriers to operate beyond the border commercial zones. Any program started before the date the legislation's enactment would also be included in the ban.
"This is a really big win for us," said Leslie Miller, a Teamsters spokesperson. "Historically, there has been very, very strong support" for ending the Mexican truck program."
In September of 2008, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) extended the cross-border trucking demonstration project for two years, and FMCSA-authorized Mexican trucks are continuing to participate. In 2007, Congress mandated that the demonstration project be operated as a pilot program, which is governed by statute and can run for up to three years. The FMCSA program is part of the southern border truck and bus crossing provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).