This Week in Congress
The House and Senate committees will be preparing to mark up their own plans for the fiscal 2016 budget. Senate leaders are trying to break an impasse over bipartisan legislation to help victims of human trafficking. A cloture vote is scheduled for tomorrow. Read more... |
Senate Introduces E-Fairness Bill
On March 10, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced S. 698, the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015, to level the playing field between brick-and-mortar retailers and remote sellers, regarding the collection of sales and use taxes on transactions. As in the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA) passed by Senate in the 113th Congress, the bill would provide states the opportunity to collect taxes from online purchases, closing the loophole that allows internet retailers to have a 5 to 10 percent unfair pricing advantage over traditional storefront retailers. Read more... |
Competing Toxic Substance Control Act Reform Bills Introduced in Senate, with Only One Garnering Industry Support
On March 10, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (S. 697), was introduced by Senators Tom Udall, D-N.M., and David Vitter, R-La., to update the nearly 40-year old Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) that governs chemical safety regulations at the federal level. TSCA is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is responsible for assessing the safety of chemicals that will be incorporated in to the entire supply chain of products coming to market. Read more... |
TTIP Auto Study Slated to Wrap Up Around Late March
Auto industry groups are expected to complete a review of a study sometime around late March, examining whether crash worthiness and crash avoidance standards for cars in the U.S. and European Union achieve equivalent results. The study was first announced in December 2013 and is being sponsored by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents 12 U.S. and foreign automakers. Read more... |
Mexican Trucking Critics Sue DOT for Allowing Full Market Access
Three organizations opposing Mexican carriers making long-haul deliveries into the United States last week filed a new lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for failing to collect enough data under a three-year pilot program to warrant its decision in January to open the U.S. market fully to Mexican trucks. Read more... |
Bill Introduced to Encourage Use of Remanufactured Parts in U.S. Vehicle Fleet
On Feb. 25, S. 565, the Federal Vehicle Cost Savings Act, was introduced by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.), to encourage the use of remanufactured parts in government vehicles. The bill states simply that “the head of each Federal agency shall encourage the use of remanufactured vehicle components to maintain Federal vehicles, if using such components reduces the cost of maintaining the Federal vehicles while maintaining quality”. Read more... |
Senators Announce Public and Stakeholder Solicitation in Tax Reform Process
On March 11, Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced a bipartisan effort to begin soliciting ideas from interested members of the public and stakeholders on how best to overhaul the nation’s broken tax code to make it simpler, fairer, and more efficient. The announcement mirrors efforts made in the 113th Congress. Read more... |
NHTSA Chief Announces Two-Year Push to Strengthen Vehicle Safety Program
On March 13, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator, Dr. Mark Rosekind, announced a “two-year sprint” at the agency to strengthen its vehicle safety program. The announcement comes after the last two years have exposed gaping holes in their vehicle and parts safety investigation, and enforcement authority, as evidenced by the massive, troubled recalls from major auto manufacturers and their original equipment suppliers Read more... |
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