IIB 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1773 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MAY 16, 2007 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation 
AN ACT 
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 com-
mercial zones on the United States-Mexico border. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe American Roads 
Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON GRANTING AUTHORITY. 
The Secretary of Transportation may not grant au-
thority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate 
beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones 
on the United States-Mexico border, except under the pilot 
program authorized by this Act. 
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 
may carry out, in accordance with section 350 of Public 
Law 107–87, section 31315(c) of title 49, United States 
Code, all Federal motor carrier safety laws and regula-
tions, and this Act, a pilot program that grants authority 
to not more than 100 motor carriers domiciled in Mexico 
to operate beyond United States municipalities and com-
mercial zones on the United States-Mexico border. 
(b) LIMITATION ON COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES 
PARTICIPATING
IN PILOT PROGRAM.—The number of 
commercial motor vehicles owned or leased by motor car-
riers domiciled in Mexico which may be used to participate 
in the pilot program shall not exceed 1,000. 
(c) PILOT PROGRAM PREREQUISITES.—The Sec-
retary may not initiate the pilot program under subsection 
(a) until— 
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(1) the Inspector General of the Department of 
Transportation submits to Congress and the Sec-
retary a report— 
(A) independently verifying that the De-
partment is in compliance with each of the re-
quirements of subsections (a) and (b) of section 
350 of Public Law 107–87; and 
(B) including a determination of whether 
the Department has established sufficient mech-
anisms— 
(i) to apply Federal motor carrier 
safety laws and regulations to motor car-
riers domiciled in Mexico; and 
(ii) to ensure compliance with such 
laws and regulations by motor carriers 
domiciled in Mexico who will be granted 
authority to operate beyond United States 
municipalities and commercial zones on the 
United States-Mexico border; 
(2) the Secretary of Transportation— 
(A) takes such action as may be necessary 
to address any issues raised in the report of the 
Inspector General under paragraph (1); and 
(B) submits to Congress a detailed report 
describing such actions; 
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(3) the Secretary determines that there is a 
program in effect for motor carriers domiciled in the 
United States to be granted authority to begin oper-
ations in Mexico beyond commercial zones on the 
United States-Mexico border; 
(4) the Secretary publishes in the Federal Reg-
ister and provides sufficient opportunity for public 
comment on the following: 
(A) a detailed description of the pilot pro-
gram and the amount of funds the Secretary 
will need to expend to carry out the pilot pro-
gram; 
(B) the findings of each pre-authorization 
safety audit conducted, before the date of en-
actment of this Act, by inspectors of the Fed-
eral Motor Carrier Safety Administration of 
motor carriers domiciled in Mexico and seeking 
to participate in the pilot program; 
(C) a process by which the Secretary will 
be able to revoke Mexico-domiciled motor car-
rier operating authority under the pilot pro-
gram; 
(D) specific measures to be required by the 
Secretary to protect the health and safety of 
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the public, including enforcement measures and 
penalties for noncompliance; 
(E) specific measures to be required by the 
Secretary to enforce the requirements of section 
391.11(b)(2) of title 49, Code of Federal Regu-
lations, as in effect on the date of enactment of 
this Act; 
(F) specific standards to be used to evalu-
ate the pilot program and compare any change 
in the level of motor carrier safety as a result 
of the pilot program; 
(G) penalties to be levied against carriers 
who, under the pilot program, violate section 
365.501(b) of title 49, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, as in effect on the date of enactment of 
this Act; 
(H) a list of Federal motor carrier safety 
laws and regulations for which the Secretary 
will accept compliance with a Mexican law or 
regulation as the equivalent to compliance with 
a corresponding Federal motor carrier safety 
law or regulation, including commercial driver’s 
license requirements; and 
(I) for any law or regulation referred to in 
subparagraph (H) for which compliance with a 
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Mexican law or regulation will be accepted, an 
analysis of how the requirements of the Mexi-
can and United States laws and regulations dif-
fer; and 
(5) the Secretary establishes an independent re-
view panel under section 4 to monitor and evaluate 
the pilot program. 
SEC. 4. INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PANEL.—The Secretary of 
Transportation shall establish an independent review 
panel to monitor and evaluate the pilot program under 
section 3. The panel shall be composed of 3 individuals 
appointed by the Secretary. 
(b) DUTIES.— 
(1) EVALUATION.—The independent review 
panel shall— 
(A) evaluate any effects that the pilot pro-
gram has on motor carrier safety, including an 
analysis of any crashes involving motor carriers 
participating in the pilot program and a deter-
mination of whether the pilot program has had 
an adverse effect on motor carrier safety; and 
(B) make, in writing, recommendations to 
the Secretary. 
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(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—If the independent 
review panel determines that the pilot program has 
had an adverse effect on motor carrier safety, the 
panel shall recommend, in writing, to the Sec-
retary— 
(A) such modifications to the pilot pro-
gram as the panel determines are necessary to 
address such adverse effect; or 
(B) termination of the pilot program. 
(c) RESPONSE.—Not later than 5 days after the date 
of a written determination of the independent review panel 
that the pilot program has had an adverse effect on motor 
carrier safety, the Secretary shall take such action as may 
be necessary to address such adverse effect or terminate 
the pilot program. 
SEC. 5. INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEW. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Inspector General of the De-
partment of Transportation— 
(1) shall monitor and review the pilot program; 
(2) not later than 12 months after the date of 
initiation of the pilot program, shall submit to Con-
gress and the Secretary of Transportation a 12- 
month interim report on the Inspector General’s 
findings regarding the pilot program; and 
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(3) not later than 18 months after the date of 
initiation of the pilot program, shall submit to Con-
gress and the Secretary an 18-month interim report 
with the Inspector General’s findings regarding the 
pilot program. 
(b) SAFETY DETERMINATIONS.—The interim reports 
submitted under subsection (a) shall include the deter-
mination of the Inspector General of— 
(1) whether the Secretary has established suffi-
cient mechanisms to determine whether the pilot 
program is having any adverse effects on motor car-
rier safety; 
(2) whether the Secretary is taking sufficient 
action to ensure that motor carriers domiciled in 
Mexico and participating in the pilot program are in 
compliance with all Federal motor carrier safety 
laws and regulations and section 350 of Public Law 
107–87; and 
(3) the sufficiency of monitoring and enforce-
ment activities by the Secretary and States to ensure 
compliance with such laws and regulations by such 
carriers. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of submission of the 18-month interim re-
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port of the Inspector General under this section, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress a report on— 
(1) the actions the Secretary is taking to ad-
dress any motor carrier safety issues raised in one 
or both of the interim reports of the Inspector Gen-
eral; 
(2) evaluation of the Secretary whether grant-
ing authority to additional motor carriers domiciled 
in Mexico to operate beyond United States munici-
palities and commercial zones on the United States- 
Mexico border would have any adverse effects on 
motor carrier safety; 
(3) modifications to Federal motor carrier safe-
ty laws and regulations or special procedures that 
the Secretary determines are necessary to enhance 
the safety of operations of motor carriers domiciled 
in Mexico in the United States; and 
(4) any recommendations for legislation to 
make the pilot program permanent or to expand op-
erations of motor carriers domiciled in Mexico in the 
United States beyond municipalities and commercial 
zones on the United States-Mexico border. 
SEC. 6. DURATION OF PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 
may carry out the pilot program under this Act for a pe-
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riod not to exceed 3 years; except that, if the Secretary 
does not comply with any provision of this Act, the author-
ity of the Secretary to carry out the pilot program termi-
nates. 
(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after 
the last day of the pilot program, the Secretary shall sub-
mit to Congress a final report on the pilot program. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 15, 2007. 
Attest: 
LORRAINE C. MILLER, 
Clerk. 
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