House Committee Approves Five-Year Surface Transportation Bill. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bipartisan bill to reauthorize surface transportation programs for five years. The bill would authorize $580 billion for highway and rail programs through fiscal year 2031.
After a 15-hour markup session that considered some 160 amendments, the committee approved the bill by a vote of 62-2.
Some of the provisions include:
- An amendment to allow states to opt in to increase weight limits on federal interstates up to 91,000 pounds gross vehicle weight on six axles for single combination vehicles that comply with the federal bridge formula.
- A new annual registration fee of $130 for electric vehicles and $35 for plug-in hybrid vehicles, with the revenue dedicated to the Highway Trust Fund.
- Allowing a commercial motor vehicle transporting dry bulk goods to carry up to 110 percent of the maximum weight on any axle or axle group, including any enforcement tolerance.
- Establishing a task force on developing a 21st century surface transportation workforce, including identifying factors influencing individuals pursuing careers in surface transportation, barriers to attracting individuals in surface transportation careers, and impacts of emerging technologies on the surface transportation workforce.
- Authorizing the National Academies of Sciences to study the establishment of a Federal
Infrastructure Bank to facilitate investment in, and the long-term financing of, economically viable infrastructure projects.
- Establishing standards for exemptions from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, including regular submission of accident and incident data to DOT, immediate notification to DOT in the event of a crash that results in a fatality or serious bodily injury, and maintaining a copy of the exemption while operating a motor vehicle.
- Requiring FMCSA to issue a final rule relating to experience or qualifications for officers of freight brokers and freight forwarders.
- Authorizing the Transportation Research Board to conduct a study of the safety and economic impacts of cabotage violations using commercial motor vehicles.
- Requiring FMCSA to issue regulations to prohibit the use of predatory commercial motor vehicle lease-purchase programs by motor carriers.
- Extending the 18-20 year-old CMV driver program in interstate commerce through September 30, 2031.
- Strengthening the certification process for Electronic Logging Device providers and requiring FMCSA to verify the applicants against delisted providers.
- Authorizing the FMCSA to remove an entry-level driver training provider from the Training Provider Registry, if the provider fails to disclose an ownership or management relationship with another provider who was removed from the Training Provider Registry, or fails to maintain and enforce policies relating to sexual assault and sexual harassment.
- Directing FMCSA to require employers to maintain records of all post-accident alcohol or controlled substance tests required under section 382.303 of such title for a minimum of five years.
- Directing FMCSA to issue a final rule to implement the Beyond Compliance program, which will allow recognition, including credit or an improved SMS percentile, for a motor carrier that installs advanced safety equipment; uses enhanced driver fitness measures; adopts fleet safety management tools, technologies, and programs; or satisfies other standards determined appropriate by FMCSA.
- Requiring a National Motor Vehicle Per-Mile User Fee Pilot program that would preserve the “user-pays” principle of the Highway Trust Fund and report on the differential effects of a national per-mile road usage charge and the federal motor fuels tax between urban and rural divers.
- Limiting the annual hazardous materials registration fee to $500 for small entities and $5,000 for large entities.
- Directing DOT to study the feasibility of issuing material-specific hazardous materials endorsements to a CDL for transportation in interstate and intrastate commerce.
The bill will now proceed to a vote in the full House of Representatives. It will also have to pass a vote in the Senate, which has not yet introduced a companion bill.
Also, the House legislation does not include any reauthorization of or changes to federal fuel taxes or the Federal Excise Tax on trucks, tractors or trailers. Those issues fall under the jurisdiction of the House Ways and Means Committee and will be considered separately.
IRS Announces Health Savings Accounts Figure for 2027. The Internal Revenue Service has announced health savings account (HSA) and high-deductible health plan (HDHP) figures for 2027. The annual limit on HSA contributions for self-only coverage in 2027 will be $4,500, a 2.3% increase from the $4,400 limit in 2026. For family coverage, the HSA contribution limit will increase to $9,000 next year, up 2.9% from $8,750 in 2026.
In addition, for 2027, an HDHP must have a deductible of at least $1,750 for self-only coverage, up from $1,700 in 2026, or $3,500 for family coverage, up from $3,400 in 2026. Annual out-of-pocket expense maximums (deductibles, co-payments, and other amounts, but not premiums) cannot exceed $8,700 for self-only coverage in 2027, up from $8,500 in 2026, or $17,400 for family coverage, up from $17,000 in 2026.
The IRS also announced that the excepted-benefit health reimbursement arrangement limit will be $2,250, up from $2,200 in 2026.
All limits will take effect January 1, 2027.
All contributions are made pretax, the money in the accounts grows tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free.
FMCSA Implements Motus in Attempt to Stop Fraudulent Carriers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has fully implemented its new registration system, Motus, which the agency claims will reduce the ability of chameleon carriers to obtain FMCSA operating authority by using fraudulent credentials. FMCSA estimates that there are currently several thousand suspicious registration numbers tied to fraudulent carriers.
FMCSA states it intends to use biometrics and modern data analytics to verify the identity of applicants for motor carrier authority and that the businesses they represent are legitimate, legal entities. Motus will employ government-issued IDs and digital facial scans to verify applicant identity.
The platform also combines several legacy registration systems within FMCSA into a single integrated system with enhanced security features. FMCSA says this is intended to allow applicants and registrants to complete registration activities through a simplified online process, including updating Form MCS-150 filings, in a manner designed to reduce confusion, improve transparency, and shorten processing times.
Motor carriers looking to register will need a login.gov account prior to accessing Motus. If they already had access to the FMCSA Portal via login.gov, they must use the same account to have all their data available to them.
STRESS CORROSION CRACKS IN CGA 580 CYLINDER VALVES – GAWDA has received notice of several incidents of stress corrosion cracks in CGA 580 cylinder valves. The affected brass valves came from several manufacturers, and an analysis by an independent materials testing and investigation firm has found no evidence of flaws in design or manufacturing.
The cracks appear to be the result of using leak detection solutions that corrode brass, such as ammonia, amines, sulfides or chlorides, and over torquing or otherwise stressing the valves.
GAWDA members are advised to make sure you use leak check solutions that will not corrode brass. Additional information is available from the Compressed Gas Association in document CGA V-12, “Leak Detection Fluids Use with Gas Cylinders Packages,” Third Edition, 2020.
Attached is a Safety Alert sent out by one GAWDA member company addressing this issue, including recommended practices and general cylinder safe handling and storage practices.
The GAWDA Safety Committee is developing a sample safety practice to help member companies choose leak check solutions compatible with metals commonly used in the industrial and specialty gases industry.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Rick Schweitzer, GAWDA General Counsel and Government Affairs Consultant, at [email protected] or (703) 946-2548.
