Make It a Two-Way Road

For five years President Clinton, on behalf of the Teamsters Union, delayed the implementation of a section of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement that granted Mexican trucks access to U.S. roads. Now, the House of Representatives is carrying the ball for the Teamsters. And once again it is crystal-clear that when it comes to Mexican trucks on U.S. highways, the fight is not about safety but about job protection.

Under the international trade agreement among Mexico, Canada and the United States, Mexican trucks meeting the federal and state standards that apply to U.S. and Canadian trucks would be allowed access to all U.S. highways, not just the 20-mile band to which they are now confined. True, many trucks on Mexican highways would not meet these standards, but that’s why NAFTA included special precautions.

A bipartisan coalition in the House, picking up where Clinton left off and defying a Bush administration plan, has approved a measure that removes funding for federal transportation officials to process applications for Mexican trucks that seek to operate inside the United States.

The Bush administration had devised a reasonable plan that would allow Mexican trucks to roll as long as they complied with U.S. safety standards. Under that plan, federal transportation officials would subject the Mexican trucks to a “rigorous application process” that could lead to an 18-month provisional permit. During that period, trucking companies’ safety records would be audited and their trucks would be subject to spot inspections.

Because the lopsided 285-143 margin in the House came as a surprise, it is not certain the measure can be blocked in the Senate. A Bush spokesman said the president would “work hard to reverse” the vote but did not threaten a veto. If the vote sticks, Mexican truckers will remain in limbo, despite their clear treaty rights to U.S. access.

In February, a special panel of two Mexicans, two Americans and a British chairman ruled that the United States was violating the terms of the NAFTA agreement and should pay Mexico compensation for every day of violation. Congress simply cannot justify reneging on a treaty agreement that has provided so many benefits to both nations.