DOT Releases Reauthorization Proposal

October 17, 2016

DOT Releases Reauthorization Proposal

MAP-21 Reauthorization Update

There has been a lot of activity recently related to reauthorization of the current transportation bill, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). As previously reported, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released their transportation bill proposal, the GROW AMERICA Act, on May 1, 2014. Attached, please find a general summary of the CVSA-related provisions, as well as a more specific section-by-section summary. CVSA will be providing feedback to Capitol Hill over the next few weeks regarding the various proposed changes.

Yesterday, Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee leadership held a press conference,announcing that their reauthorization proposal will be released next week, on May 12, 2014. The Committee has scheduled a markup of the bill for May 15, 2014 at 10am Eastern. The markup will be webcast. Reports indicate that it will be a six-year bill, funded at MAP-21 levels, plus inflation. While the EPW Committee is the lead transportation committee in the Senate, the Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation takes the lead role on Motor Carrier Safety issues. To date, there has been no announcement from the Commerce Committee leadership on their plans for the surface transportation bill.

House THUD Appropriations

Meanwhile, earlier this week, the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) released and approved their FY2015 appropriations bill for the DOT. The House bill provides funding levels consistent with the approved FY2014 funding levels:

Total FY2015 Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) – $313,000,000

  • Basic MCSAP – $218,000,000
    • New Entrant Safety Audits – $32,000,000
    • High Priority Grants – $15,000,000
  • Commercial Driver’s License Improvements Program (CDL) – $30,000,000
  • Border Enforcement Grants – $32,000,000
  • Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks Deployment (CVISN) – $25,000,000
  • Performance and Registration Information System Management program (PRISM) – $5,000,000
  • Safety Data Improvement Grants – $3,000,000

The bill also includes a number of proposed changes to current truck size and weight restrictions, as well as changes to the Hazardous Materials Special Permit Application process.