House Panel Keeps Trucking-Related Provisions in Transportation Bill
WASHINGTON — A Democratic push to undo trucking-related provisions from a fiscal 2017 transportation funding bill was soundly rejected during a House Appropriations Committee hearing on May 24.
The amendment by Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) was rejected by a vote of 19 to 28. Republicans were joined by Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas in voting against the amendment. (Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misstated the voting breakdown.)
Republican leaders on the panel insisted the trucking-related provisions Democrats had targeted sought to improve highway safety. Price and Democrats disagreed, referring to the provisions as ideological policy riders lacking merit for inclusion in the bill.
Specifically, Price’s amendment would have removed a provision that aims to extend the prohibition on the 2013 changes to the 34-hour, hours-of-service rule for truckers. The amendment also would have removed a provision that would prevent certain states from enacting laws requiring companies to schedule meal and rest breaks for drivers and a provision that would delay the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration’s effort on a safety fitness determination proposal.
“Some of these riders could serve to undermine safety and rollback work protections,” Price said, prior to the vote on his amendment.
“On behalf of ATA, I want to express our gratitude to the committee, especially Chairman Rogers and Chairman Diaz-Balart, for their work in moving this bill forward,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves. “In addition to allocating funding for important transportation projects, this legislation will ensure that commercial drivers can still utilize the 34-hour restart provision of the hours-of-service rules.”
“Also of paramount importance, this bill would clarify Congress’ objective that interstate trucking be governed by the federal government, not individual states, in order to prevent a patchwork of regulations that needlessly complicates the lives of millions of professional drivers,” said Dave Osiecki, ATA executive vice president of national advocacy. “Federal pre-emption of certain state laws, such as state rest break rules, helps to facilitate interstate commerce, benefitting consumers and the national economy, while also continuing to protect driver safety with uniform federal regulations.”
The committee went on to report the transportation funding bill to the House floor on a voice vote. Floor consideration on the bill is expected after the Memorial Day congressional recess.
