I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2407 

To protect the safety of America’s roads by limiting the operation of motor 

carriers domiciled in Mexico beyond municipalities and commercial zones 

on the United States-Mexico border to a pilot program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 6, 2011 

Mr. DEFAZIO (for himself, Mr. LIPINSKI, and Mr. HUNTER) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 

and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To protect the safety of America’s roads by limiting the 

operation of motor carriers domiciled in Mexico beyond 

municipalities and commercial zones on the United 

States-Mexico border to a pilot program. 

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 ‘‘Protecting America’s 

5 Roads Act’’ or ‘‘PARA’’. 

6 SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON OPERATING AUTHORITY. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Unless expressly authorized by 

8 Congress, the Secretary of Transportation may not grant 


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1 authority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate 

2 beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones 

3 on the United States-Mexico border except under a pilot 

4 program that meets the requirements of this Act. 

5 (b) PILOT PROGRAM DURATION.—Any pilot program 

6 carried out pursuant to this Act shall— 

7 (1) not exceed a period of 3 years; and 

8 (2) be carried out for a period sufficient to gen9 erate statistically valid findings on the safety im10 pacts of the pilot program. 

11 (c) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying 

12 out any pilot program pursuant to this Act, the Sec13 retary— 

14 (1) shall meet the requirements of section 6901 

15 of Public Law 110–28, section 350 of Public Law 

16 107–87, and section 31315(c) of title 49, United 

17 States Code; 

18 (2) may not grant a motor carrier domiciled in 

19 Mexico authority to operate beyond United States 

20 municipalities and commercial zones on the United 

21 States-Mexico border permanently, or for any period 

22 that exceeds the duration of the pilot program; 

23 (3) shall require motor carriers domiciled in 

24 Mexico and participating in the pilot program to 

25 submit to electronic monitoring to ensure compliance 


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1 with the Secretary’s hours of service regulations; 

2 and 

3 (4) may not purchase, acquire, or install elec4 tronic on-board recorders for motor carriers domi5 ciled in Mexico and participating in the pilot pro6 gram. 

7 (d) SUSPENSION OF AUTHORITY.—The Secretary 

8 shall suspend the authority of all motor carriers domiciled 

9 in Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities 

10 and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border 

11 on the date of termination of any pilot program carried 

12 out pursuant to this Act. 

13 (e) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 days 

14 after the termination date of any pilot program carried 

15 out pursuant to this Act, the Secretary, in consultation 

16 with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall 

17 report to Congress on the impact on safety as a result 

18 of such pilot program. 

Æ 


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