Last week’s Senate Committee effort to suspend the current 34-hour restart provision of the U.S. hours of service rule took a hit when the House of Representatives passed its own appropriations bill that does not contain such a provision.
A US Senate Appropriations Committee previously voted on an amendment to suspend the current 34-hour restart, although it would have still required conferencing with the language in the House Bill, approved by both bodies, and signed by the President
According to Heavy Duty Trucking, observers expected to see a similar floor amendment in the House bill. However, that didn’t happen.
HDT suggests a highway fatality involving comedian Tracy Morgan may have changed the political climate for a proposed restart suspension.
The future of the proposed suspension now comes down to the House and Senate conferring on their separate transportation appropriations bills, reports HDT. The full Senate is scheduled to to take up its bill, which includes the amendment next week. However, there could be a move to take out the suspension amendment.
