U.S. Legislative News

Congressional Hearings on Infrastructure

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held its first hearing of the 116th Congress, titled, The Cost of Doing Nothing: Why Investing in Our Nation’s Infrastructure Cannot Wait, on Thursday, February 7.

Several witnesses included calls for congressional action to raise the gas tax to provide funding for America’s highway and bridge system, citing the many states that have raised state fuel taxes with broad support from voters. However, there were mixed messages on the preferred funding mechanisms for future infrastructure investments, with some members of the congressional committee shying away from raising the federal tax on fuels in favor of a transition to a vehicle-miles-traveled fee. Other members advocated for a package that would incorporate any funding mechanisms that may have efficacy in both the present and future.

NTSB’s Most Wanted List Released

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) unveiled its “Most Wanted” list on February 3 of 10 safety enhancements it believes could help reduce the over 37,000 annual roadway deaths. Safety advocates are focusing heavily on three potential areas for improvements, which are considered to be responsible for over 10,000 deaths: speeding, drug or alcohol-impaired driving, and distractions from electronic gadgets. The other safety enhancements include areas such as fatigued driving, better anti-collision technology, and seat belt mandates.

NTSB has stated that it would like to see 46 of the total 267 safety recommendations highlighted in the report be implemented within the next two years. NTSB has said that in two-thirds of its recommendations, no new regulations are required to obtain a safety benefit. This is critical given the sluggish state of the regulatory process at present.

NAFA Members Urge Congressional Tax Committees to Renew Fuel Tax Credits

On February 11, NAFA members signed on to a letter addressed to the Senate Finance and House Ways & Means Committee leadership asking for their support in including a reinstatement of the $0.50-per-gallon alternative fuels excise tax credit, the $1-per-gallon biodiesel excise tax credit, and the 30 percent alternative fuel infrastructure tax credit in a fiscal year 2019 government spending package. The credits would need to be renewed retroactively for 2018 to provide relief to those now facing a deadline to file taxes.

NAFA added its voice to the broad group of stakeholders pushing for an extension of several expired tax incentives in hopes that they will be included in a funding package to prevent another government shutdown. The large volume of grassroots and stakeholder support for these incentives has raised the profile of the issue and created a final opportunity for their renewal.

Uncertain Outlook on the EV Tax Credit

Automakers who have already hit the 200,000-vehicle cap on the electric vehicle consumer tax credit, Tesla and GM, will begin to see that credit phased out this year, while many of their competitors in the space will likely remain below the cap in 2019. Other automakers see this as an opportunity to boost sales in the short term due to the increased cost of vehicles from EV market leaders.

The debate in Congress over extending, adjusting, or repealing the credit has continued into 2019. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) have reintroduced their bills S.343/H.R.1027, the Fairness for Every Driver Act, to repeal the credit entirely and institute a user registration fee for alternative-fueled vehicles. Proponents of maintaining or extending the credit are actively working to have the credit included in a larger government funding package along with a host of other tax incentives.

As a member of the EV Drive Coalition, NAFA signed onto a joint letter to members of the House Ways and Means Committee to express support for reformed electric vehicle (EV) tax credit and to request that a modification of the credit be in any tax and spending package moving through Congress. The EV Drive Coalition is a diverse group of industry, consumer and environmental stakeholders interested in preserving the EV tax credit.

NAFA Participates in Congressional Briefing on Vehicle Data Access

Erin Gilchrist, Director of Fleet Operations for Safelite AutoGlass, represented NAFA during a congressional briefing on vehicle data access hosted by the U.S. Vehicle Data Access Coalition on February 11. The briefing aimed to help increase the understanding and awareness of members of Congress and their staffs of issues related to vehicle data access. Ensuring the integrity and security of vehicle data is a critical issue for many fleet managers that rely on vehicle-generated data for managing their fleet. The briefing highlighted the importance of vehicle owner control as well as the appropriate use of vehicle data. Other members of the coalition represented at the briefing included the American Bus Association, the American Car Rental Association, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the Auto Care Association, and Geotab, Inc.

Rep. Graves Calls for Bipartisan Action

Representative Sam Graves (R-Mo.), the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, published an op-ed in The Hill calling for an end of political gridlock on infrastructure issues. Rep. Graves acknowledges the opportunity before this Congress to find a long-term funding solution to the ailing Highway Trust Fund, which he believes can be done through vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) fees. Rep. Graves also identifies a need for federal policies to be innovative to keep up with the rapid advances in technology changing the face of modern-day transportation. The flurry of activity and messaging on infrastructure in recent weeks has led many to believe a broad infrastructure package will emerge from Congress in the coming months.