I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1773 

To limit the authority of the Secretary of Transportation to grant authority 

to motor carriers domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond United States 

municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 29, 2007 

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas (for herself, Mr. DEFAZIO, and Mr. OBERSTAR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To limit the authority of the Secretary of Transportation 

to grant authority to motor carriers domiciled in Mexico 

to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe American Roads 

5 Act of 2007’’. 

6 SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON GRANTING AUTHORITY. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 

8 may not grant authority to a motor carrier domiciled in 

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1 Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities and 

2 commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border, ex3 cept under a pilot program that meets the requirements 

4 of this Act and that the Secretary conducts. 

5 (b) PILOT PROGRAM.—The pilot program referred to 

6 in subsection (a) shall— 

7 (1) comply with the requirements of section 350 

8 of Public Law 107–87; 

9 (2) comply with the requirements of section 

10 31315(c) of title 49, United States Code; and 

11 (3) not permit motor carriers domiciled in Mex12 ico to operate beyond United States municipalities 

13 and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico 

14 border until motor carriers domiciled in the United 

15 States have been allowed to begin comparable oper16 ations in Mexico. 

17 (c) PUBLIC NOTIFICATION.—In complying with the 

18 requirements of section 31315(c) of title 49, United States 

19 Code, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register 

20 and provide notice and an opportunity for public comment 

21 on— 

22 (1) a detailed description of the pilot program, 

23 including specific beginning and end dates for the 

24 pilot program; 

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1 (2) a process by which the Secretary will revoke 

2 Mexico-domiciled motor carrier operating authority 

3 at the end of the pilot program; 

4 (3) specific measures required by the Secretary 

5 to protect the health and safety of the public, includ6 ing enforcement measures and penalties for non7 compliance; and 

8 (4) specific metrics used to evaluate the pro9 gram and compare any change in the level of high10 way and motor carrier safety as a result of the pilot 

11 program. 

12 (d) TERMINATION DATE OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The 

13 termination date of the pilot program shall not be later 

14 than one year after the date of enactment of this Act. 

15 (e) INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEW.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Inspector General of 

17 the Department of Transportation— 

18 (A) shall monitor and review the pilot pro19 gram; 

20 (B) not later than 270 days after the date 

21 of initiation of the pilot program, shall submit 

22 to Congress an interim report on the Inspector 

23 General’s findings regarding the pilot program; 

24 and 

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1 (C) not later than 90 days after the termi2 nation date of the pilot program, shall submit 

3 to Congress a final report on such findings. 

4 (2) SAFETY DETERMINATION.—The interim 

5 and final reports submitted to Congress under this 

6 subsection shall include the determination of the In7 spector General of whether the motor carriers domi8 ciled in Mexico and participating in the pilot pro9 gram are in compliance with all United States Fed10 eral motor carrier safety laws, including the provi11 sions detailed in section 350 of Public Law 107–87. 

12 (f) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 days 

13 after the termination date of the pilot program, the Sec14 retary shall report to Congress on the results of the pilot 

15 program. The report shall include a safety evaluation 

16 based on the specific metrics identified by the Secretary 

17 under subsection (c). 

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