The amendment came from Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.), who pushes annually for Congress to take up size and weight reform legislation. His highway bill amendment mirrored that of a standalone bill, the Safe, Flexible and Efficient Trucking Act, Ribble introduced in mid-September in the House. The measure would grant states the option to allow trucks weighing up to 91,000 pounds to operate on federal highways within their borders.
Lawmakers rejected the measure in a voice vote. Ribble demanded a recorded vote later, according to the House’s daily proceedings record. The recorded vote also failed, however, by a 187-236 vote.
The House in sum this week will vote 280 proposed amendments to the $325 billion Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act.
The bill is similar to the long-term DRIVE Act highway bill passed in July by the Senate and includes similar trucking industry regulatory reforms, such as removing CSA scores from public view, taking steps toward allowing under-21 CDL holders to drive interstate and allowing carriers to use hair sample testing to satisfy federal driver drug testing requirements.
If the House passes its bill this week, the House and Senate will have to call a joint committee to work out the differences between their two bills and pass the legislation, if any, that comes from the joint committee.
The amendment process for the House bill is expected to continue Wednesday and Thursday. House leadership has signaled they intend to finish work on the amendment process by adjournment on Thursday. Tuesday’s session ran until almost midnight, and roughly 30 amendments were heard. The House is scheduled to reconvene 10 a.m. Wednesday.
