Congress returns to Capitol Hill this week from its month-long break, facing a decision on whether to put the Department of Transportation’s hours-of-service rulemaking on ice by freezing its funding.
Although the attempt to block DOT’s hours proposal may be the highest-profile trucking issue on the agenda in the final session of the 106th Congress, lawmakers also will be asked to address meals deductibility, restrictions on development of an ergonomics proposal, a fuel surcharge mandate, repeal of the single-state carrier insurance registration system and a 10% weight increase for auto haulers.
The Senate reconvenes for the stretch run on Sept. 5, followed a day later by the House. It remains to be seen, however, whether all of trucking’s issues will be addressed at a time when legislators are trying to push through 13 appropriations bills, offer up pork barrel projects to constituents and get out to the campaign trail.
“Every single one of trucking’s issues is under consideration in the final days,” said Walter B. McCormick Jr., president of American Trucking Associations, the industry’s largest lobbying group.
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