EUGENE, Ore. — Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) expressed concern with the Obama Administration’s decision to grant Mexican truckers access permanent access to the U.S. market.

DeFazio – who in the past has shown an interest in supporting individual truck drivers – is specifically questioning the DOT’s plan to fund EOBRs for the Mexican carriers that qualify for the program.

DeFazio said the idea of American taxpayers subsidizing Mexican truck compliance is "simply unacceptable."

American truckers, as well as Canadian carriers who operate south of the border, will soon be required to equip their trucks with EOBRs, but will have to foot the bill themselves.

The FMCSA would about $4.3 million to buy the devices and pay for monitoring.

In a letter to DOT Secretary Ray Lahood, DeFazio pointed out that under the previous pilot program under President Bush, the agency already spent $1.25 million on EOBRs for 27 carriers, who kept the devices when the program was cancelled.

"It is outrageous," DeFazio stated, "that U.S. truckers, through the fuel tax, will subsidize the cost of doing business for these Mexican carriers.

"It is outrageous that we would spend tax dollars to pay for equipment on Mexican trucks; equipment which either the Mexican government or the Mexican carriers themselves should be required to pay."

DeFazio also questioned granting Mexican carriers permanent operating authority after 18 months in the program.

DeFazio, who was a leading voice in getting the previous Mexican pilot program scrapped, is becoming the go-to politician for concerned American truckers.

Last month, he introduced a bill in Congress that would require DOT to establish a maximum number of hours truckers can be detained at loading docks without being paid.