U.S. Legislative Issues

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently published a study that looked at the use of remanufactured parts in the federal vehicle fleet. In fiscal year 2011, federal civilian agencies reported about $975 million in maintenance and repair costs for approximately 588,000 vehicles that the agencies owned. These vehicles can be maintained and repaired using new or remanufactured parts. While there is no standard definition of a remanufactured vehicle part, the Federal Acquisition Regulation defines remanufactured parts as factory rebuilt to original specifications. According to the study, manufactured vehicle parts tend to be less expensive than comparable new parts. "The principal remanufactured products in the motor vehicle sector are engines, transmissions, starter motors, alternators, steering racks, and clutches, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission."

Given the potential for cost savings from using remanufactured parts in the federal fleet, Congress asked the GAO to examine this issue.

The GAO report describes:

• The vehicle repair process for selected agencies, including the use of remanufactured parts
• The factors that agency officials consider when deciding whether to use new or remanufactured parts for repairs

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced that it will not delay the July 1 start date for enforcing the new requirements for the hours-of-service (HOS) rules for truck drivers in a letter to the American Trucking Associations.

FMCSA's HOS final rule reduces by 12 hours the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week. Under the old rule, truck drivers could work on average up to 82 hours within a seven-day period. The new HOS final rule limits a driver's work week to 70 hours.

In addition, truck drivers cannot drive after working eight hours without first taking a break of at least 30 minutes. Drivers can take the 30-minute break whenever they need rest during the eight-hour window.

The final rule retains the current 11-hour daily driving limit. The rule requires truck drivers who maximize their weekly work hours to take at least two nights' rest when their 24-hour body clock demands sleep the most - from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. This rest requirement is part of the rule's "34-hour restart" provision that allows drivers to restart the clock on their work week by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty. The final rule allows drivers to use the restart provision only once during a seven-day period.


Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (R-RI), Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) have released draft carbon-pricing legislation and solicited feedback on it from stakeholders and the public. The legislation would establish the polluter pays principle for carbon pollution, requiring large emitters to pay for the pollution they emit. The "discussion draft" released on March 12 requires large polluters to pay a fee for each ton of pollution they release. The legislation assigns responsibility for the assessment and collection of the carbon fees based upon the expertise that has already been developed by EPA and the Treasury Department. Under the discussion draft, EPA’s database of reported emissions would determine the amount of pollution subject to the fee. The Treasury Department would be responsible for the collection and handling of the fees.