Representatives Admonish Transportation Secretary For Keeping Border Open To Trucks From Mexico
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters today was told point blank by three members of Congress to close the border to trucks from Mexico.
Peters kept the border open after a law was enacted to close it. The U.S. Senate voted 75 to 23 and the House voted 411 to 3 to forbid funding for the unsafe pilot project allowing Mexican trucks to use U.S. highways.
The legislation became law on December 26, 2007 as part of the Omnibus budget bill.
Peters’ fellow Arizonan Ed Pastor, a Democrat, cautioned her that the constitutional separation of powers means that she must follow the intent of Congress.
“I advise you that the program as it is should not be implemented,” Pastor told Peters during a budget hearing by the Transportation subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, said, “You violated the law.”
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-Texas, asked rhetorically, “Does the department have the legal authority to disregard Congress’s intent?”
Rodriguez noted that Peters’ pilot program to open the border to Mexican trucks continues.
“The intent of the language was to prohibit that from occurring,” Rodriguez told Peters.
Jim Hoffa, Teamsters general president, thanked the members of Congress for defending the Constitution.
“If Mary Peters thinks the pilot program is lawful, she should consult the Supreme Court,” Hoffa said. “The court ruled that if the intent of Congress is clear, that is the end of the matter.”
The Teamsters today launched a national grassroots, netroots campaign to alert the public to the Transportation Secretary’s lawless actions.
The “Fire Mary Peters” campaign kicked off today with subway ads, radio commercials, Web ads, bumper stickers and a Web site. Teamster Union headquarters have been besieged by requests for bumper stickers that say, “Fire Mary Peters – She Breaks the Law.”
For more information about the campaign, go to www.FireMaryPeters.com.
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