Barbara Boxer: “There is no question. Under the Murray language, she is very clear to state that the Federal Motor Carrier…”

“There is no question. Under the Murray language, she is very clear to state that the Federal Motor Carrier Administration must perform a full safety compliance review of the Mexican truck company, and it must give the Mexican truck company a satisfactory rating before granting conditional or permanent authority outside the commercial zone--meaning that 20-mile zone--and the review must take place onsite at the Mexican truck company's facility. That is absolutely accurate. Again, the best of all worlds would be--and it would be terrific--if in Mexico they upgraded their laws to conform with American laws. We cannot force that, but I say as a friend of Mexico--a good friend--that is what they ought to do because then their people would be safer and we would not have to have all of this enforcement activity. But until they have brought their laws up to our level in terms of the trucks and drivers, we must enforce. What I like about the Murray amendment--and I understand Senator Shelby had a hand in this amendment, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart because 23 percent of that traffic comes right into my State. Without this amendment--and just setting an arbitrary date is a frightening thought--all these trucks would be coming in and we can only inspect 2 or 3 percent of them. God knows, we all fear what could happen in our States--a devastating accident with trucks that don't have brakes, drivers who have fallen asleep at the wheel, et cetera.”