House Passes Ban on Cross-Border Truck Program

Funding Prohibition Part of Transportation Spending Bill

The House of Representatives today passed the transportation spending bill that includes a ban on funding the Bush administration's cross-border truck program.

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said he fully expected the funding ban to win final passage because of its overwhelming support from Congress and the public.

"Letting trucks from Mexico drive everywhere in America is unpopular for a good reason: it's dangerous and illegal," Hoffa said.

The Senate is expected this week to pass the same bill, known as Transportation-HUD or THUD. The spending bill reconciles separate versions passed by both chambers. President Bush has said he will veto the bill.

"The Teamsters won't quit the fight to stop the Bush administration's reckless program," Hoffa said. "Our members will urge their representatives to override the veto, and we will continue our lawsuit to prevent the program from starting up again."

The Teamsters union is suing to block the program in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The union submitted its arguments to the court in October and the government has until Monday to reply. The case is expected to be heard in February.

Earlier this year, the Teamsters sought unsuccessfully to obtain an emergency injunction blocking the program before it began. Since then, a handful of trucks from Mexico have been allowed to travel beyond the narrow border zone.