25 March 2009

[US] DOT seeks new cross-border program

The following is excerpted from the 24 March 2009 edition of “The Journal of Commerce”.

Transportation Secretary Raymond LaHood, looking to quiet a furor over a cross-border trucking program that threatens to grow into a full trade war, said Tuesday he plans to create a new version of the controversial Mexican trucks program that Congress eliminated this month….

“There is going to be a Mexican truck program and what we want to do is make it a program that Congress feels good about, and that we continue a strong relationship with Mexico,” LaHood said….

The Mexican government imposed new tariffs on U.S. imports to retaliate for what Mexico called the protectionist actions in eliminating the program.

LaHood said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will raise the issue with officials in Mexico in an upcoming trip to the country and that he will meet with members of Congress “all day” Tuesday to discuss a new version of the program. …