WASHINGTON (April 19)—The Senate version of the surface transportation reauthorization bill is moving forward, with the Senate Finance Committee poised to vote on its tax provisions April 19.
The House already has passed its five-year, $284 billion version of the legislation. The safety provisions of the Senate bill include a requirement for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to report to Congress on research to address tire aging within two years of enactment, but this is something NHTSA is doing anyway, according to a spokesman for the Rubber Manufacturers Association. It also contains provisions on such issues as rollover protection, roof strength and point-of-sale safety labels.
The Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway officials, said in a release it objects to the bill providing no funding for highway projects between June 1 and Sept. 30, though it likes the bill's increase in highway safety grant programs and simplification of the grant application process.