Congress returns with a Dec. 11 deadline for the highway law and DOT funding

Congress returns to Washington Monday for its lame-duck session, and the date that matters most for trucking is Dec. 11. The Washington Times reported Nov. 9 that the government funding deadline that day is the session's main job. Truck News reported Nov. 6 that the same deadline decides whether the U.S. Department of Transportation shuts down.

The federal highway law runs out that day too. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expired Sept. 30 and has been running on a temporary extension through Dec. 11, Truck News reported Nov. 6.

A full highway bill looks out of reach before then. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced the BUILD America 250 Act, a $580 billion package, in May, but it never got a floor vote, Land Line reported Nov. 6. Land Line expects another extension before Dec. 11 that could run six months or longer, according to the same Nov. 6 report. The Washington Times reported Nov. 9 that a full-year spending deal is also unlikely this session, which means another stopgap.

Control of the committee is about to change as well. Democrats won both chambers in last week's midterms, and Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington, the panel's top Democrat, announced Nov. 4 that he will seek the chairmanship, Truck News reported Nov. 6. Any bill not passed this session has to start over in January.

What it means for carriers

The highway bill is where several driver priorities sit. BUILD America 250 includes truck parking money, restroom access for truckers and a ban on predatory lease-purchase agreements, Land Line reported Nov. 6. An extension keeps current programs running, but those provisions would wait.

Parking has two other tracks. The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act would spend $755 million on new spaces and has 27 Democratic and 27 Republican cosponsors, Land Line reported Nov. 6. House appropriators have set aside $200 million for truck parking projects in their transportation spending bill, Truck News reported Nov. 6.

Then there is the fuel tax. A federal holiday came up in the campaign and would save 24.4 cents a gallon on diesel, Transport Topics reported Nov. 6, but the outlet said it is unclear lawmakers have the will to pass one. The Highway Trust Fund would lose about $3.5 billion a month and its balance is already headed toward $0 by fiscal 2028, Transport Topics reported Nov. 6, citing American Trucking Associations vice president Darrin Roth. Georgia State economist Rajeev Dhawan told the outlet a holiday would be "putting a Band-Aid on a bleeding artery," since global supply is what moves diesel.

What shippers and brokers should watch

The text of the next extension matters. The September extension omitted funding for several freight programs, Truck News reported Nov. 6, so the next one could restore that money or leave it out again.

Senate Commerce is the other room to watch. The committee is expected to take up autonomous technology policy as early as this month, Truck News reported Nov. 6.

A clean stopgap would leave programs running as they are. A lapse in funding would mean a shutdown at the department that houses FMCSA.