There was also apprehension because pollution and food safety controls would be difficult to enforce. As a result, supplemental agreements were added for mandates of minimum wages, working conditions, and environmental protection. ("North-).
FAST TRACK.
After rebuffing the White House in 1997, Congress voted again in 1998 to reject attempts to give President Clinton authority to negotiate "fast track" trade agreements with other countries. (Eilperin).
The enhanced authority that Clinton sought would have given him and his successors power to bring completed trade treaties to Congress for a straight up-or-down vote. No amendments - and no having to go back to renegotiate bits and pieces. (Every President since Ford has had this power).
However, the fast track debate was about much more than procedure. It became a referendum on the basic direction of American trade policy; on the issue of free trade vs. protectionism. On whether NAFTA was a good thing or a bad thing for Americans. .
A MISSED DEADLINE.
On February 6, 2001, a North American Free Trade Agreement arbitration panel ruled that the United States had violated the treaty by refusing to allow Mexican trucks full access to American highways. "NAFTA called for Mexican trucks to have unrestricted access to highways in border states - Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona - by 1995 and full access to all U.S. highways by January 2000."" (Gamboa).
Why didn't the United States follow the agreement? The Clinton administration, refused to implement the provisions, citing safety concerns with Mexican trucks. However, they were also under pressure from unions representing U.S. truckers. Roughly, 5 million Mexican trucks entering the country each year are restricted to a 20-mile zone north of the border, where they must transfer their loads to American trucks. (Gamboa).
According to the Transportation Department's Inspector General's Office, 35 percent of Mexican trucks that entered the United States in 2001 were put out of service for safety violations.
