Insights - May 2015 - 19

information of unreasonable practices
regarding the application of demurrage
or detention."
The report follows four FMC forums
last fall on port congestion and incorporates additional stakeholder input.
Go to www.fmc.gov/NR15-03/ for
Cordero's full statement and a link to
the 64-page report.

Bill Seeks to Ease
Rail Permitting
A measure aimed at streamlining
the environmental permitting process
for rail and transit infrastructure
projects is under Senate consideration.
S. 769, the Track, Railroad and
Infrastructure Act, or TRAIN Act, was
introduced March 18 by Sen. Roy Blunt,
R-Mo., and includes Sen. John Thune,
R-S.D., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.,
as co-sponsors.
Go to www.govtrack.us/congress/
bills/114/s769 to follow S. 769,
which was referred to the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation.

Transport Funds
Deadline Looms
With a May 31 deadline looming, the
U.S. Congress continues to fail to agree
upon a long-term funding plan for surface transportation infrastructure.
At the end of May, the latest extension of the current authorization
measure - Moving Ahead for Progress
in the 21st Century, or MAP-21 - is due
to expire.
As legislators continue to debate
numerous funding proposals, with an
increase in motor fuels taxes drawing significant opposition, observers
increasingly believe that a short-term
extension is most likely to emerge as
the means to keep Highway Trust Fund
payments going to states.
Among the newest highway funding measures introduced is H.R. 1461,
the Developing Roadway Infrastructure
for a Vibrant Economy Act, or DRIVE Act,
filed March 19 by Rep. Thomas Massie,
R-Ky.
Visit www.govtrack.us/congress/
bills/114/hr1461 to track H.R. 1461,

which would reduce the share of
federal fuels tax revenue going for
mass transit and other nonhighway
uses so as to restore sufficient
highway funding. The bill was referred
to the House Transportation and
Infrastructure and House Ways and
Means Committees.
Also, the Obama administration on
March 30 formally sent to Congress a
revised six-year, $478 billion Generating Renewal, Opportunity and Work
with Accelerated Mobility, Efficiency
and Rebuilding of Infrastructure and
Communities throughout America
Act, or GROW AMERICA Act, including
a call for greater use of tolls to fund
projects and a provision to pay truck
drivers for on-duty time not spent
driving. Go to bit.ly/GROWAMERICA for
its 361-page text.

FMCSA Increases
Civil Penalties
As of June 2, civil penalties will be
higher for many violations of federal
Federal Update - continued on page 21

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May 2015 | Intermodal Insights 19

http://www.fmc.gov/NR15-03/ http://www.bit.ly/GROWAMERICA http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s769 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr1461 http://www.id-systems.com/transportation http://www.id-systems.com/transportation

Insights - May 2015

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