Byron Dorgan: “What is this issue of Mexican trucks coming into the United States? Why is it important and why will it provoke…”

“What is this issue of Mexican trucks coming into the United States? Why is it important and why will it provoke controversy? Simply, the issue is this: We inspect just 1 to 2 percent of the Mexican trucks that come into this country and operate within the 20-mile restriction. And 36 percent of those Mexican trucks are turned back into Mexico for serious safety violations. In other words, up to now, we have told Mexican truckers: We will not allow you to drive on American roads because you don't meet American safety standards. Mr. President, 98 to 99 percent of the trucks were never inspected at all because we do not have nearly enough inspectors at the border. But of those that were inspected, 36 percent were turned back into Mexico for serious safety violations. Mexico has a regime of safety issues dealing with truckers that is very lax. They are printed at the end of the article I previously mentioned. Let me run through a few of these. It says: Hours-of-service limits for drivers: In the United States, we limit truckers to 10 hours of consecutive driving and then they must rest. That is all you can do in the United States, 10 hours. In Mexico, the sky is the limit. In fact, this reporter rode with one Mexican long-haul trucker for 3 days. In 3 days of driving a truck, the Mexican driver slept 7 hours--7 hours in 3 days. There is no restriction on hours with respect to Mexican drivers and truckers.”