Taking The Hill
by Stephen McDonald Regulatory Alert
Pending finalization of the air bag disconnect regulation, customers wishing to have their air bags disabled by an automotive repair facility must still first receive authorization from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To inquire about an authorization contact: Mr. John Womak; Office of Chief Counsel; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; 400 Seventh St., SE, Room 5219; Washington, D.C. 20590; or call (202) 366-9511.Electronic Filing
The House passed a bill (H.R. 852), by a 395-0 vote, that would make it easier for small businesses to file certain required forms electronically. If enacted, the measure would require the Office of Management and Budget to certify that all federal agencies are preparing to receive forms electronically in an effort to comply with a law mandating that federal agencies provide businesses and others the option of submitting paperwork via fax, e-mail or other electronic means.Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Bill
The House Hazardous Materials Subcommittee approved legislation designed to accelerate the clean up of leaking underground storage tanks by assuring states that they will receive adequate funding to do the job. Under the bill (H.R. 688), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be required to give states at least 85 percent of the federal funds appropriated to the agency each year from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund. Testifying on the bill, EPA representatives said the agency was concerned that the measure would make it too easy for underground storage tank owners to obtain federal funds to reimburse them for cleanup efforts. The EPA also indicated that it would prefer to hold tank owners more responsible for cleanup actions.EPA Air Quality Standards
In a letter to EPA Administrator Carol Browner, five Senate Democrats urged the agency to delay imposing new stringent air quality regulations that would modify ambient air standards for ozone and particulate matter. The letter cited the estimated $8.5 billion cost of complying with the rule and the fact that state and local governments are still facing difficulties complying with current ozone standards. The letter comes as the EPA's clean air rules are the subject of a series of hearings in the House and Senate. Proponents of the new proposed standards contend they could prevent thousands of premature deaths and health problems caused by pollutants, while critics counter that they are based on unreliable science and that more research is needed.Recently, the EPA admitted that it overestimated the health benefits of the proposed standards. The agency lowered its prediction for the number of lives that would be saved each year under the regulation from 20,000 to 15,000. The EPA blamed the error on a mislabeled chart in one of the studies on particulate matter the agency reviewed.
Balanced Budget Amendment
The Senate failed to pass a constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget by the year 2002. The 66-34 tally was one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed for the amendment to be sent to the states for ratification. The Senate had rejected changes to the amendment that would have blocked Social Security trust fund surpluses from being used in deficit calculations; permitted a separate capital budget; dropped a requirement for the three-fifths vote in Congress to raise the debt ceiling; and would have waived the amendment if Congress declared a national economic emergency. Senate Republican leaders left open the possibility that the Senate will vote again if the proposal passes in the House."Comp" Time Bill
The House passed legislation (H.R. 1) that would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to allow employers the right to offer their hourly workers a choice between compensatory time or overtime pay. The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee also approved its "comp" time bill (S.4). The Senate measure also would allow employees to choose more flexible work schedules. Under both bills, private sector workers could bank comp time at a time-and-a-half rate for any hours worked beyond the traditional 40-hour week. The House amended the bill to exempt employees who work fewer than 1,000 hours for a single employer and to reduce, from 240 to 160, the compensatory hours an employee could bank. The bill would sunset after five years. The Clinton administration indicated that it would veto the bill because it believes that it does not preserve workers' rights.ASA Main Page || AutoInc. Main Page
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AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLV No. 5, May 1997