In an effort to ensure Mexican trucks will begin rolling across the U.S. on schedule, the Bush administration is pressing the Senate to not take any action on a bill passed overwhelmingly by the House that essentially would block the project.Sources within the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation have confirmed in background conversations that the panel has put on hold taking any action on the Safe American Roads Act of 2007, the bill the House passed May 15 by a vote of 411-3.
At the encouragement of the White House, the senators on the transportation committee are taking the position that the requirements of the Safe American Roads Act were wrapped into the provisions of H.R. 2206, the Iraq supplemental funding bill, signed May 25 by President Bush.
At the moment, the staff of the Senate transportation panel has no plans to discuss a Senate bill comparable to Safe American Roads Act before the July recess.
An unhappy Todd Spencer, executive director of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, believes the Bush administration “has preordained that the Mexican truck demonstration project will begin regardless who objects.”