Obama calls for new plan as Mexico slaps retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says the administration wants to work with Congress to come up with a new plan.

The Associated Press

3/16/2009

WASHINGTON  — The White House says it wants to work with lawmakers to restore a program that allows a cross-border trucking program with Mexico.

Mexico on Monday put in place tariffs on 90 U.S. products after Washington canceled a program that allowed some trucks from Mexico to operate beyond narrow U.S. trade zones.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says the administration wants to work with Congress to come up with a plan that would restore that program, adding that Congress had opposed the project in the past because of concerns about the process that led to the program's establishment and the safety of its operation.

“The administration recognizes these concerns,“ Gibbs told reporters at Monday's press briefing.

Gibbs then reiterated what the White House said when President Barack Obama recently signed the FY 2009 omibus spending bill that included language stopping the project: “The President has tasked the Department of Transportation to work with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of State, along with leaders in Congress and Mexican officials, to propose legislation creating a new trucking project that will meet the legitimate concerns of Congress and our NAFTA commitments. Sen. (Byron L.) Dorgan, the sponsor of the amendment that ended the program, has written to us to express his willingness to work with the administration in good faith to address this issue.“

Calls to the Mexican Embassy were not immediately returned.

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