Although the NAFTA agreement of 1994 had called for Mexican truck to have unrestricted access to U.S. highways, the U.S. is only now upholding their part of the agreement. The holdup was due partly to the concern of the safety of Mexican trucks, as well as the debate as to whether or not Mexican truckers will shift trucking jobs away from the U.S. Some advocates support the restriction lift. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood stated “By opening the door to long-haul trucking between the United States and Mexico, America’s third largest trading partner, we will create jobs and opportunity for our people and support economic development in both nations". When access was more restricted, Mexico imposed higher tariffs in retaliation. They promised to cut the tariffs in half when the agreement was settled.
This will definitely spark intense immigration debates in the weeks to come, especially in Texas, where our proximity to and border with Mexico has been a long-term issue.
Source: texasinsider.org Author: Johnathan M. Katz July 8, 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment