Safe American Roads Act of 2007

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on May 14, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Safe American Roads Act of 2007 - (Sec. 2) Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from granting a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico authority to operate beyond U.S. municipalities and commercial zones on the U.S.-Mexico border, except that the Secretary may carry out, in accordance with certain federal motor carrier safety and inspection laws and regulations and this Act, a pilot program that allows not more than 100 of such carriers, and not more than 1,000 of their vehicles, to operate beyond such municipalities and zones.

Prohibits the Secretary from implementing the pilot program until: (1) the Inspector General (IG) of the Department of Transportation (DOT) submits to Congress and the Secretary a report verifying that DOT is in compliance with provisions of the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002 requiring compliance by motor carriers domiciled in Mexico with certain federal motor carrier safety and inspection laws and regulations and that DOT has established sufficient mechanisms to ensure compliance with such laws and regulations by Mexico-domiciled motor carriers who will operate beyond U.S. municipalities and commercial zones on the U.S.-Mexico border; (2) the Secretary takes necessary action to address any issues raised by the IG's report and submits to Congress a report on such actions; (3) there is a program in effect for U.S.-domiciled motor carriers to operate in Mexico beyond commercial zones on the U.S.-Mexico border; and (4) the Secretary publishes in the Federal Register, and provides opportunity for public comment on, certain aspects of the pilot program.

(Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish an independent review panel to monitor and evaluate the pilot program; and (2) address any determination by the panel that the pilot program has had an adverse effect on motor carrier safety or terminate such program.

(Sec. 5) Requires the IG: (1) to monitor and review the pilot program; and (2) not later than 12 months, and not later than 18 months, after the initiation of the pilot program submit to Congress and the Secretary interim reports that include IG findings and certain safety determinations concerning such program.

Requires the Secretary, not later than 60 days after submission of the IG's 18-month interim report, to report to Congress on: (1) any actions the Secretary is taking to address motor carrier safety issues raised in the IG's interim reports; (2) the Secretary's evaluation of whether granting authority to additional motor carriers domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond U.S. municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border would have any adverse effects on motor carrier safety; (3) modifications to federal motor carrier safety laws and regulations or special procedures 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 operations of motor carriers domiciled in Mexico in the United States beyond municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border.

(Sec. 6) Authorizes the pilot program for three years, except that if the Secretary does not comply with the requirements of this Act, such program terminates. Requires the Secretary, not later than 60 days after the termination of the pilot program, to submit to Congress a final report on such program.

[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1773 Introduced in House (IH)]

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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Safe American Roads Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON GRANTING AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation may not grant 
authority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond 
United States municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-
Mexico border, except under a pilot program that meets the requirements 
of this Act and that the Secretary conducts.
    (b) Pilot Program.--The pilot program referred to in subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) comply with the requirements of section 350 of Public 
        Law 107-87;
            (2) comply with the requirements of section 31315(c) of 
        title 49, United States Code; and
            (3) not permit motor carriers domiciled in Mexico to 
        operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial 
        zones on the United States-Mexico border until motor carriers 
        domiciled in the United States have been allowed to begin 
        comparable operations in Mexico.
    (c) Public Notification.--In complying with the requirements of 
section 31315(c) of title 49, United States Code, the Secretary shall 
publish in the Federal Register and provide notice and an opportunity 
for public comment on--
            (1) a detailed description of the pilot program, including 
        specific beginning and end dates for the pilot program;
            (2) a process by which the Secretary will revoke Mexico-
        domiciled motor carrier operating authority at the end of the 
        pilot program;
            (3) specific measures required by the Secretary to protect 
        the health and safety of the public, including enforcement 
        measures and penalties for noncompliance; and
            (4) specific metrics used to evaluate the program and 
        compare any change in the level of highway and motor carrier 
        safety as a result of the pilot program.
    (d) Termination Date of Pilot Program.--The termination date of the 
pilot program shall not be later than one year after the date of 
enactment of this Act.
    (e) Inspector General Review.--
            (1) In general.--The Inspector General of the Department of 
        Transportation--
                    (A) shall monitor and review the pilot program;
                    (B) not later than 270 days after the date of 
                initiation of the pilot program, shall submit to 
                Congress an interim report on the Inspector General's 
                findings regarding the pilot program; and
                    (C) not later than 90 days after the termination 
                date of the pilot program, shall submit to Congress a 
                final report on such findings.
            (2) Safety determination.--The interim and final reports 
        submitted to Congress under this subsection shall include the 
        determination of the Inspector General of whether the motor 
        carriers domiciled in Mexico and participating in the pilot 
        program are in compliance with all United States Federal motor 
        carrier safety laws, including the provisions detailed in 
        section 350 of Public Law 107-87.
    (f) Report to Congress.--Not later than 60 days after the 
termination date of the pilot program, the Secretary shall report to 
Congress on the results of the pilot program. The report shall include 
a safety evaluation based on the specific metrics identified by the 
Secretary under subsection (c).
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