ATA to Testify Before Senate Commerce on Trucking Technology
Tomorrow morning, ATA President & CEO Chris Spear will testify before the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation at a hearing titled “The Need for Speed: How Technological Advances are Driving Transportation Innovation.” This hearing is an opportunity for the trucking industry to highlight key technology policy priorities in advance of Senate consideration of the next Highway Bill, which is due by September 30th.
During the hearing, Spear will focus on how repealing the 12% FET could benefit the deployment of new safety technology, why trucking needs clear federal standards rather than a patchwork of state technology rules, the importance of maintaining American leadership in autonomous vehicle development, and how Congress can act to protect valuable wireless spectrum for existing trucking and supply chain use cases.
House Appropriators Approve ATA Priorities, $200 Million for Truck Parking
Last Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee approved its proposal for the FY2027 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) spending bill that addressed key ATA policy priorities.
This bill provided a significant investment of $200 million for truck parking, and also included direction to DOT to address cargo theft, study the effects of congestion pricing, urge FMCSA to fill vital vacancies, study predatory towing, develop technology and guidelines to detect cannabis-impaired drivers, and proposed preempting damaging state meal-and-rest break laws.
Both ATA and the Arkansas Trucking Association hailed the Committee’s approval of the bill and will work to ensure its inclusion in a final spending package later this year. The bill must still be approved by the full House of Representatives, and the Senate will produce its own parallel proposal.
Bipartisan FET Repeal Bill Introduced in Senate
Last week, Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) introduced the Modern, Clean, and Safe Trucks Act, a bill that would repeal the 12% federal excise tax on all new heavy-duty trucks and trailers. ATA hailed introduction of this measure, which is a key priority of the trucking industry because it would remove a major disincentive to investing in new, clean, safe equipment and push older, dirtier, less safe equipment out of American fleets and off our highways.
A similar bipartisan bill is already pending in the House of Representatives. Introduced by the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), the bill is now led by Reps Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Chris Pappas (D-NH). ATA will work with the House and Senate champions to increase cosponsors and advance this important tax reform.
House Committee Examines ATA-Opposed NextNav Proposal
Last Thursday, the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing to discuss position, navigation, and timing (PNT) alternatives to existing satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS). The hearing featured testimony from Mariam Sorond, CEO of NextNav, a company that has petitioned the FCC to assign a portion of the lower 900 MHz band of spectrum to the company for use in a proprietary PNT solution.
ATA—along with a broad coalition of stakeholders including trucking, aviation, retail, security, tolling, utility, and telecommunications interests—opposes the NextNav petition because it risks disrupting important systems that currently use that portion of spectrum. Prior to the hearing, ATA submitted a letter to the subcommittee expressing its profound concerns about the NextNav petition. Also included in the Committee’s record was a letter sent last week by 60 trade associations including ATA and 18 state trucking associations to the FCC, opposing the NextNav petition. Trucking has invested billions of dollars to gain safety benefits and operational efficiencies from technologies that use this spectrum. Overall, the hearing expressed skepticism that the FCC should pick winners –and losers and disrupt current use cases for vital industries.
ATA-Led Coalition Pushes Senate to Pass CORCA
Last Wednesday, a group of 191 businesses and trade associations signed a letter led by ATA and the Retail Industry Leaders Association, urging the U.S. Senate to pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA). This legislation is a top priority for the trucking industry because it will provide critical resources to coordinate a response to the escalating threat of cargo theft.
CORCA, which passed the House last month with a strong bipartisan vote of 348-60, will provide definitions and coordination that are necessary for federal agencies to support state and local law enforcement and industry stakeholders in combating the scourge of cargo theft that is increasingly perpetrated by transnational criminal organizations and which threatens every link in the supply chain.
House Holds Legislative Hearing on Environmental Bills
Last Wednesday, the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment held a legislative hearing to discuss bills currently pending before the Subcommittee. Included in the list of measures under discussion were two bills strongly supported by ATA: The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, sponsored by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Nick Langworthy (R-NY), and the Diesel Emission Fluid Flexibility Act, sponsored by Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-ND). These bills are commonsense measures that will help replace outdated, dirty equipment on our nation’s highways, and help provide flexibility around truck deratings and speed-reduction inducements because of faulty or unreliable diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) sensors, respectively.
ATA wrote to the Committee to voice support for these measures, as well as to thank other members for the attention to key trucking issues on which ATA continues working with Congress to increase flexibility and ensure workable federal emissions mandates.
ATA Hails Bill Removing Redundant Auto Hauler Requirements
On Thursday, ATA applauded the bipartisan introduction of a Senate bill to remove outdated red tape related to duplicative warning flags for stinger-steered automobile transporters. The bill, which was introduced by Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Gary Peters (D-MI), parallels a similar House bill introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI) that was included in the BUILD America 250 Act approved by the House T&I Committee last month.
The bill will make permanent a waiver granted under both the first Trump and Biden Administrations. The waiver was necessary to exempt auto haulers from a requirement to affix warning flags to bumpers overhanging the rear of auto transport units. The flags, which damage the cars being transported, are redundant because motor vehicles already have reflective materials built into their rear bumpers. ATA will work with members of the House and Senate to advance this measure to the President’s desk.
Congressional Trucking Caucus Leaders Introduce Safety Resolution
Last week, Congressional Trucking Caucus co-chairs Dave Taylor (R-OH) and Shomari Figures (D-AL) introduced a resolution to promote “Our Roads, Our Safety Week,” which highlights efforts to promote safety awareness among all road users sharing the road with large trucks and buses.
In support of the resolution, ATA SVP of Legislative Affairs Alex Rosen stated “America’s 3.6 million truckers are true ambassadors for our industry, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to excellence whenever they are behind the wheel. Keeping our roads safe is a shared responsibility, and truckers’ professionalism serves as an example to all motorists. ATA is proud to partner with FMCSA during Our Roads, Our Safety Week to encourage the public to stay alert and safely share the road with large trucks. We appreciate this bipartisan effort led by Reps. Taylor and Figures to elevate this safety initiative and to recognize truckers’ essential role in our country and our economy.”
Senate Sends CBP, ICE Funding Bill to House
On Friday morning, Senate Republicans passed a party-line proposal to fund CBP and ICE operations for three years. The proposal, sought through a process called budget reconciliation that allows for expedited Senate approval of limited tax and spending changes by a simple majority vote, must now be approved by the House of Representatives.
The political factors complicating the debate were unpopularity of providing security construction funding for the President’s renovation of the East Wing of the White House, public outcry over a Department of Justice settlement providing $1.8 billion to White House allies, and the primary election defeats of Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and John Cornyn by Trump-endorsed opponents.
Election Update
Last Tuesday, June 2nd, primary elections were held by California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota. Notable election results include:
- Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA) advancing through his primary to the general election. Rep. Kiley is a strong advocate for trucking but faces a tough re-election challenge due in part to redistricting. He secured 26.8% of the vote to lead all candidates in the CA-6th District primary.
- Iowa State Rep. Josh Turk defeated state Sen. Zach Wahls in a Democratic primary to replace retiring Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA). The Republican candidate will be Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), who is the lead sponsor for a House bill that seeks to eliminate forum shopping for plaintiffs in trucking accident cases. Democrats are hopeful to flip Iowa in the 2026 general election in their efforts to secure a majority.
Maine, North Dakota, Nevada, and South Carolina will hold their primary elections this week.
Committee Notes
- On Wednesday, June 3rd, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing to discuss the proposed budget for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The Committee is also negotiating a proposal to provide for ongoing investments by FHWA prior to expiration of the current Highway Bill on September 30th.
- On Wednesday, June 3rd, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee held a hearing to discuss the budget proposal and policy priorities of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).
- On Thursday, June 4th, the Senate Appropriations Committee delayed full committee consideration of a bill that would provide funding to the Department of Justice. When the Committee takes the bill up, ATA expects that resources and direction will be provided to aid in the fight against cargo theft.
- On Thursday, June 4th, the House Education & Workforce Committee held a hearing examining the policies and priorities of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
- On Wednesday, June 10th, The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold a hearing to consider the nominations of a new Commissioner of Labor Statistics and two new members of the NLRB.
Grassroots Update
Last week, the Arkansas Trucking Association visited the capital to meet their Members of Congress and FMCSA Administrator Barrs. Discussions focused on the need for tort reform to address lawsuit abuse, passage of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), and federal agency action to allow the use of hair testing to detect the use of prohibited substances by CMV operators.
Speaking of CORCA, last week both Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jim Banks (R-IN) officially cosponsored the bill as a direct result of continued advocacy from the Illinois Trucking Association and the Indiana Motor Truck Association. If you would like to send a letter to your Senators on CORCA, please click this link.
This week, the New Jersey Motor Truck Association, Trucking Association of New York, and Indiana Motor Truck Association will come to Washington to advocate on behalf of the trucking industry. Interested in participating in Call on Washington or hosting a truck terminal visit with your Member of Congress? Email Abbey Schroeder (aschroeder@trucking.org).
The Week Ahead
Both the House and Senate are in session this week. The next Hill Report will be sent on June 15th.