About This Campaign
This campaign is about the safety of every person on the nation's highways.
The story starts with NAFTA. In February 2001, a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) tribunal ruled that the U.S. has been violating the terms of NAFTA because it has limited access of Mexican trucks to a 20-mile commercial zone along the border. NAFTA, which took effect in 1994, required the U.S. to allow Mexican trucks access to all border-state roads starting in 1995, and to drive anywhere in the country by January 2000. The Clinton administration recognized the danger the trucks posed and for seven years refused to expand their access beyond the narrow border zone.
But the Bush administration reversed course. The Bush administration planned to give full access to U.S. roads to Mexico-based trucks, despite the serious safety problems.
Fortunately, Congress has stepped in. Congress has repeatedly demanded that the administration must take steps to make sure that the public is safe before opening the floodgates to Mexico-based trucks. And when the Bush administration announced its "pilot program" to "test" open access for selected Mexico-based companies -- but still without sufficient safety guarantees -- Congress passed language in the spending bill that bars funds from going to the pilot program.
President Bush signed that bill into law but still is going ahead with this reckless plan.
Public Citizen will do everything it can to stop the NAFTA trucks madness. And you can help!
About Public Citizen
Public Citizen represents everyday people in the halls of power. We fight for:
- openness and democratic accountability in government
- the right of consumers to seek redress in the courts
- clean and safe transportation
- clean, safe and sustainable energy sources
- social and economic justice in trade policies
- strong health, safety and environmental protections
- safe, effective and affordable prescription drugs and health care.
Visit us on the web at www.citizen.org, and find ways you can BE a public citizen by taking action at www.citizen.org/action.
Comments