What's Going to Happen?-Mexican Trucks

Teamsters Salute House Vote to Delay Unsafe Mexican Trucks Plan
Tue May 15, 4:16 PM ET

To: TRANSPORTATION EDITORS

Contact: Leslie Miller of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, +1-202-624-8734, LINK REMOVED

WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union salutes the U.S. House of Representatives for overwhelmingly passing a bill today that would halt the Bush administration's reckless pilot program to open our highways to unsafe Mexican trucks until U.S. safety and security standards are met. The vote was 411-3.

"This important bill ensures that the American traveling public is protected," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "The Bush administration can no longer ignore Congress and the American people on this important safety and security issue."

The "Safe American Roads Act of 2007" would force Transportation Secretary Mary Peters to only allow Mexican trucks to travel freely in the United States under a strictly monitored pilot program, which would be limited to three years and 1,000 trucks. It also would require the program to pass muster with Congress, the Transportation Department inspector general and an independent panel.

"The Bush administration has given us sketchy information about its plans to throw open our borders to unsafe Mexican trucks," Hoffa said. "We don't know how safety laws such as hours of service and drug testing would be enforced. This vote by the House repudiates those questionable attempts to open our borders without adequate safeguards."
The bill also would require the Transportation Department to disclose: -- Safety records of Mexican trucking companies; -- Standards for evaluating truck safety; -- Which carriers are part of the program; -- Mechanisms for enforcing trucking safety laws; -- Penalties for non-compliance.
The Teamsters, along with Public Citizen, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and other groups, sued in April to block the Bush administration's effort to supplement a 2001 NAFTA order.

The bill was originally sponsored by Rep. Nancy Boyda (news, bio, voting record), D-Kan., and approved on May 1 by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by a vote of 66-0.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States and Canada.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Text of the the HR 1773: http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/80xx/doc8080/hr1773.pdf

I dont have time to look up all, but 1 of the 3 members of congress that voted against this bill was:
Jeff Flake (republican from AZ)
If Jeff Flake is in your district, please call him and tell him that he needs to get a real job in the middle or lower class. Then maybe he might see what it's like to have to compete with someone from another country for your job, food, clothes, home, kids, etc etc......

 

By Suzanne Gamboa, Associated Press

Democrats also are facing opposition from unions. Many AFL-CIO member unions and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are concerned that employers will choose to hire foreigners over more expensive American workers.

They want limits on work visas for foreigners, but also full labor protections that would let them join unions.

"The ideal immigration reform bill would not contain a guest worker program," said Yvette Pena Lopes, a Teamsters lobbyist. If one is created, the Teamsters and other unions want it to expire in three to five years, Lopes said.

Immigration bill sponsors say allowing workers to become legal permanent residents after several years of work will help protect them from exploitation by employers.
The bill is HR1645.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...igration_N.htm


You're close to being right. The Teamsters are up set because the DIMS haven't passed a bill that will allow mexicans to unionize. Their motivation isn't to protect truck drivers, they just don't want more non-union truck drivers. Once the DIMS get their legislation through that will allow Mexican truck drivers to become Teamsters, watch how the teamsters change their tune.

It's sad to see how easy it is for the DIM leadership to play you liberals as suckers. lol

 

It's sad to see how easy it is for the DIM leadership to play you liberals as suckers.

No one is being played for suckers. You fail to understand one very important point. No one believes everything their party says or stands for. That goes for both sides of the isle.
The difference is, the occupation was something the repubs. were not going to stop. So we had to put the dems into power. Our soldiers come first. So when we are out of the middle east, our troops stop dying for oil, then we can work on other issues.
The Pilot Program was a very pressing issue for all of us in here. (cause we are truckers) So we focused on the subject until it was stopped.
I gave out the congressional phone number
866-220-0044 over the CB radio for 2 solid weeks, asking them to call their congressman in opposition to the pilot program.
Now that there is a temporary halt on the program, we can all go back to our troops fulltime.
BTW, when the dems start passing bills allowing things that I disagree with, you will hear me speaking out against them. I am very much an independent. I dont agree with gay marriage, abortion, or gun control. But I also don't believe in pollution, drilling for oil in ANWAR, high energy cost and price gouging at the pumps.
People who can't think for themselves, are forced to live by someone elses guide lines.

 

You say our troops are dying for oil, can you tell me how many barrels a day we are getting from Iraq? it doesn't seem to be enough to drive the price down?
The problem with the dems is that all those BAD things you mentioned go hand in hand with the communist.. er, I mean.. democratic party.
Not that the repubs as a whole are much better, they have very successfully brought us HUGE debt, more entitlement programs and bloated government.
I think that instead of running from Iraq we should get some real leaders (PIPE DREAM) and WIN in Iraq! the weak kneed government is so full of spineless politically correct sissies I don't thing they could win a rubber band fight with a kindergarten class.
On top of all these things, and what should be high on every American's list is that the repubs and dems are working very hard to allow amnesty to 12 +++ million illegal aliens.. if the government says 12 it's far more likely 3 to four times that figure.
The government want to make sure there are gangs, drugs and violence in every community.
What a real nice homecoming for our troops to find the government has given the U.S.A. away to the third world while they were gone... more cheap imported minimum wage labor to drive down wages and benefits while fattening the already bloated pockets of the CEO's and corrupt politicians... rapidly destroying the middle class in trade for the poverty class.

On the bright side, at least a few of our "leaders" had the sense to stop the mex trucks for the moment, I'm sure that will change as soon as the right pockets get filled with cash...

 

Ha ha ha....it is funny how those Reps turn everything upside down, even on this issue.

What you should all do is stand up and give at least small thanx, to the Democrats, who saved our jobs that Republicans ( the rich ) were so eager to give away like all the others blue collar jobs they've given away since they got in in power ( early 90's ).

For the guy that wants us to stay till we win in Iraq. Ok, I agree, but could you please tell me- what do you consider win, or how do we know that we won?

When you, or even this administration figure all that out, let me know.

At least we can keep borrowing money from China while you all try to figure that out, so the time is not an issue here at all. I am sure that Chinese will be more than glad to give us a hand

 

What would I consider a win? well.. I would have to say bomb the country into complete submission and then colonize it with Americans... otherwise, your correct, I don't know how we'll ever know.
I've had enough of "feel good" wars.
The repubs and dems are HAND in HAND giving the country away to the third world.. you can see the pic's of bush and kennedy d**n near kissing each other over this recent amnesty give away!
The government is corrupt top to bottom left to right.. it makes me SICK seeing the unbelievable amount of corruption! they have moved the destruction of America to the fast track now.

 

How did this thread get off on the war in Iraq like they are tied together. I am over here in Iraq right now as you read this have been since Feb. 2004. and as far as winning this war we have got a good start on it allready. No you at home don't see it and you never hear the good all you hear is the bad the different parties put out to blame the thing on the other side. Now let me tell you the Iraqi people are standing up for them selves and getting tirerd of the foreiners in there country killing there people and blameing it on the war,or a civil war or what ever you want to call it. You have to understand the the people that are fighting over here are not Iraqi they are mostly foreign fighters that are either payed to fight or people that want to kill americans and pay a price to certain organizations to have the chance to do so. Now we can fight these folks here or on our own streets which would way would you have it here or main street USA. Believe me they hate us for what we are and they will come and go to where ever it is to kill americans. Now the Mexican thing is under control for now we will see how it goes with the rest of NAFTA. The teamsters fought for something aloong time ago to get things there way and now they are seeing the problems they created it is called DE Regulation and look what it got them they are stronger than ever and makeing more money than is possable for the average driver can hope to make and the general driving public can't remember or dosen't want to remember what it was like before de regulation. THe rates were about the same if not higher than they are now and every thing else was 50 to 75% less. I remember guys loading in AR. with chickens going to the west coast and unloading and reloading and comeing home with 100 to 200 left of a 500 dollar expense acount that bought them fuel food cigerates and all. and still makeing .15 to .20 a mile driver wages. Back then that was hugh money. when fuel was .05 or .10 a gallon and when you fueled up you got a free meal a carton of smokes and coffee was allways free. So don't blame all of the industry troubles on one group they all had a hand in it. Hope to see you all on the road again in aq couple of years when this thing is over and me and the wife come home and hit the road. Till then drive safe and keep the shiney side up and may the wind allways be at your back and your loads all be light and drop and hook.

 

How much Oil are we getting from Iraq? It doesnt appear to be any at all. I know for a fact that Companies contracted through Haliburton are carrying thousands of barrels per day out of Iraq. I would imagine that the big oil companies, china, japan, and lord knows who else are getting it. Probably another "oil for what ever" scandal somewhere.
Just a bit of info, Chevron was/is knee deep in the "oil for food" scandel with Saddam. It's been proven that Chevron gave saddam 1.9 billion. This was when Condi Rice sat on the Chevron Board of Directors. I just wonder if she missed that meeting, or is she just as guilty. Chevron named their largest oil taker..... "the Condoliza Rice". Imagine that.

 

I would love to see your proof that trucks are hauling iol out of Iraq. I am over here and work in the transportation dept and i can assure that every drop of fuel that is used is hauled in from Turkey and non is hauled out by any contractor of the US govt. all the oil is going out thru the pipe lines when they can get it out. And they (GOI) are negotioting with the Japaneses to export oil and as soon as they do they country will be allot better off so befor you say things make sure you have your PROOF ready some one will call you on it.

 

I have already called him on many of his posts, he feels he does not
need proof, he is a Liberal. He feels that any one that calls him on it
is a Nazi. Anyway some of us apreciate the good news and would
sure like to hear more news out of Iraq. Any insight you can give us
on being a contractor over there would sure be apreciated.