Congress approved legislation today (Dec. 4) which allows Mexican trucks more access to U.S. roads and funds major transportation programs.
The Senate voted 97-2 to approve the $60 billion transportation appropriations spending measure for fiscal year 2002, which began Oct. 1. The House approved the bill 371-11 last week.
President Bush is expected to sign the bill, which he threatened to veto earlier this year after both the Senate and the House passed separate legislation at odds with White House priorities on Mexican long-haul trucking.
The legislation clears the way for Mexican truckers to expand their access to all U.S. roads after numerous safety, inspection and licensing checks are met. They include license verification of Mexican truck drivers, on-site inspections of Mexican trucks and audits from trucking firms to ensure compliance with U.S. safety laws.