Issues
A new section was added over the weekend to the surface transportation reauthorization bill currently making its way through the U.S. Senate. This legislation, which must pass by September 30, when current funding for surface transportation expires, also includes funding for electric vehicles and other transportation programs. The new safety title includes a requirement that…
U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Passes Surface Transportation Reauthorization
The U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee passed the 2021 INVEST in America Act late last night, after hours of debate. The INVEST Act, which is the surface transportation reauthorization, must pass through Congress before September 30, when the previous surface transportation funding runs out. This legislation includes $547 billion for transportation,…
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA) filed a lawsuit this week aimed at preventing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from carving up the 5.9 GHz band for purposes other than vehicle safety. In December 2019, the FCC ruled to carve up the…
The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously approved their surface transportation bill this morning. This legislation includes about $311 billion for transportation budget authority over the next 5 years, a funding increase of about 34 percent compared to the 2019 FAST Act. Notable portions of the legislation are: $500 million per year…
The United States the last remaining wealthy nation in the world that does not require companies to provide paid sick leave to their employees. Instead, the United States has the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and a patchwork of state regulations. Right now, 1 in 4 workers lacks access to paid sick leave,…
Earlier this month, President Biden test-drove the new Ford F-150 electric truck, which is set for release in 2022. Successfully marketing electric pickup trucks to Americans could be an essential piece in the puzzle for widespread electric vehicle adoption, since currently, EV infrastructure is heavily concentrated in urban areas. Read an analysis on electric trucks…
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report this week entitled “Nixing the Fix: An FTC Report to Congress on Repair Restrictions”. This report was created as a result of a directive from the U.S. Congress to investigate anticompetitive practices related to repair markets. The report highlights “anticompetitive repair restrictions” including unavailability of parts, repair…
Congressman Levin (D-Mich) introduced a bill, the Electric Vehicles Freedom Act, that would establish a nationwide network of public electric vehicle charging stations. This legislation is part of a larger push toward electrifying the transportation sector as part of President Biden’s American Jobs Plan, which was released earlier this year. Establishing a nationwide network of…