U.S. Legislative Issues

 

On January 16, all sixteen Democratic members of the Committee on Ways and Means wrote a letter to Committee Chairman Dave Camp, a Republican, requesting that he call a hearing to address issues relating to the Highway Trust Fund. The Ways and Means Committee is the committee in the House of Representatives that is in charge of writing tax policy.

 

In their letter, the Representatives noted that the spending authority for the Highway Trust Fund under the most recent Transportation bill, MAP-21, expires on September 30. The letter went on to say that without addressing the problem, "reimbursements to states will be delayed, construction projects will be curtailed, and jobs will be lost through the economy."

 

The group was led by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who recently introduced two pieces of legislation aimed at addressing the funding shortfall by raising the gasoline excise tax and by studying the implementation of a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax system.

The letter can be read by clicking here.

---

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sent its "Tier 3" rule, concerning the level of sulfur in gasoline, to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review. The rule, which has been delayed since 2012 when the White House put it on hold, would lower the amount of sulfur in gasoline from 30 parts per billion to ten parts-per-billion as well as cut the emissions levels of soot and smog forming pollutants from vehicles. The EPA says that the rule would significantly limit emissions from the evaporation systems and tailpipes of vehicles.

 

The rule is scheduled to be put in place in 2017.

---

On January 13, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) held a listening session in Nashville, TN to take gauge public opinion on Knowledge Testing Requirements for New Entrant Motor Carriers, Freight Forwarders, and Brokers.

According to Section 32101 and 32916 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (also known as MAP-21), those who seek registration authority as motor carriers must have their knowledge of regulations and industry practices assessed by the FMCSA. As the FMCSA moves forward, it is seeking public input on the possible content and administration of the exam.

Additional public listening sessions will be held on March 28 in Louisville, KY, and on April 7 in Los Angeles, CA.

---

NAFA Fleet Management Association has expressed support to Congress for a retroactive extension of the Bonus Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) or "bonus depreciation" program. Before expiring on December 31 of last year, the program allowed bonus depreciation to be taken for fifty percent of a truck’s purchase price and an extra bonus depreciation deduction of up to $8,000 for automobiles, light trucks, vans, and SUVs. This tax incentive accelerates depreciation, and encourages earlier replacement of vehicles, which further stimulates the economy, representing a win for fleet management professionals in particular and the nation as a whole.

---

NAFA Fleet Management Association has asked Congress to extend of the $0.50 per gallon alternative fuel tax credit for natural gas and propane and the $1.00 per gallon tax credit for biodiesel, which expired at the end of last year. In a letter to congressional leaders, NAFA explained that fleet management professionals use the price of fuel as a factor in calculating annual budgets and finalizing vehicle acquisition decisions, but that the uncertainty of these tax credits has added undue uncertainty to the process.