In The News
Senate set to consider transportation appropriations bill
WASHINGTON — The Senate Wednesday is scheduled to begin consideration of H.R. 2577, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016.
The House passed the act last spring.
The Senate Appropriations Committee in June approved that chamber's version of the bill after narrowly passing an amendment that would allow twin 33-foot trailers on the nation's highways.
The House version contains the same provision.
FedEx, UPS and many other LTL carriers favor the longer trailers.
Most in the truckload sector oppose them, fearing shippers would shift TL freight to carriers with the longer trailers, forcing the TL's to purchase them, too.
Neither the House nor the Senate version of the proposed long-term surface transportation bill now under consideration in both chambers contain language allowing the longer trailers.
Most Congressional observers believe the longer-trailer provision will be stripped from the appropriations bills when Congress begins discussion of the omnibus spending bill later this session, one reason being President Barak Obama's opposition to the longer trailers. The omnibus spending bill will be necessary to keep the government in operation.
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