US Congress and the Transportation bill

You can get updates here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d1...d109:h.r.00325:

Basically, it's still stuck in committee...could be that way for months and months and months.......Once it passes and we can drive in the carpool lanes solo, we are buying a second one for my wife!

 

I am confused about the process but I think HR3 is the one we need to watch. Status:

MAJOR ACTIONS: (color indicates Senate actions)

2/9/2005 Introduced/originated in House
3/7/2005 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 109-12, Part I.
3/8/2005 Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Transportation, H. Rept. 109-12, Part II.
3/10/2005 Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 417 - 9 (Roll no. 65).
4/6/2005 Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 69.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d1...3@@L&summ2=m&

From what I've read in the text it says:

`(4) LOW EMISSION AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT VEHICLES-

`(A) INHERENTLY LOW-EMISSION VEHICLE- Before September 30, 2009, the State agency may allow vehicles that are certified as inherently low-emission vehicles pursuant to section 88.311-93 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, and are labeled in accordance with section 88.312-93 of such title, to use the HOV facility if the agency establishes procedures for enforcing the restrictions on the use of the facility by such vehicles.

`(B) OTHER LOW EMISSION AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT VEHICLES- Before September 30, 2009, the State agency may allow vehicles certified as low emission and energy-efficient vehicles under subsection (e), and labeled in accordance with subsection (e), to use the HOV facility if the operators of such vehicles pay a toll charged by the agency for use of the facility and the agency--

`(i) establishes a program that addresses the selection of vehicles under this paragraph; and

`(ii) establishes procedures for enforcing the restrictions on the use of the facility by such vehicles.


Is anyone a legislative expert?

 

Hey, thanks for linking us to the correct bill!!!

Looks like it has passed Congress and has been introduced into the Senate. If I remember my Saturday morning School House Rock cartoons, it'll then have to get signed by Bush, right?

Maybe this is only a few months out? I guess it all really depends on how well the DMV is prepared once this gets signed into law...

 

A friend of mine who is a professor at SDSU in Political Science told me this about it:

What's happened is this: the bill passed the House, and is now scheduled to be debated in the senate. The Senate bill is numbered S. 732. Once
the senate votes on it, it will go to conference committee to reconcile differences between the House and the Senate versions (there are likely
to be differences). Once it is reconciled, then it goes to the president to sign. It's possible that the provision to open HOV lanes to Prius drivers
could be dropped either on the Senate floor (through an amendment) or in
conference committee (but not likely),

Here is the website with the official description of S. 732:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:s.00732:

 

As I understand it the Presidential signature could be a problem. This has nothing to do with the HOV issue, but that the bill currently spends more than the President considers reasonable and he has threatened a veto if it does not shrink. So this could go on for a while.

 

After reconciliation, doesn't both the house and senate have to vote on it?

Even if the president vetos, congress can override with 2/3 majority.

 

I hope it passes

hey.. what's the president complaining about. it's not like he doesn't overspend.

BTW.. school house rock yeah.. that's the good stuff.

"I'm just a bill..."

lol

 

The Senate is discussing the transportation bill on the floor . . .

The hybrid HOV language survived . . .
Just a few Amendments left to consider . . .
Then the full Senate can vote . . .
Maybe Friday . . .

But . . .

The President could still end up vetoing the whole thing because it is $11 billion or so over its target . . . even with a bunch of Republicans insisting this is a worthy reason to go over budget . . .

Arrrggggg . . .

I just want my HOV lane sticker.

 

too bad the Prius can't run off of CNG.

Alternative fuel cars get HOV stickers.

 

Sufferin,
Where'd ya find this info? The most I can find is a big ol' long list of Amendments already considered at
http://www3.capwiz.com/c-span/webreturn/?u...y/z?d109:h.r.3:

But I don't find anything that talks about what is up next for our bill. That is, I can find about the past but not the present or the future.

Thanks,
Ex

 

Yea, Thomas.loc.gov kind of sucks that way.

C-Span on TV in the background was my source.

Haven’t watched much today . . . biz-e.

They are talking judgeships . . . lets hope they don’t filibuster before voting on this most important of bills . . . or are filibustering if Bush vetoes.

 

The filibuster doesn't work the way it did when we were in school. One bill can be getting "filibustered" and the Senate can meanwhile be passing other bills.

50+ years ago, not unlike as pictured in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", once a filibuster starts, ALL other floor business ends. Not so in 2005. I think the change dates back to *1975 when the cloture rule was changed from needing 67 votes to end debate to 60 votes to end debate. By the way, prior to 1917 there was NO cloture. Any single Senator could debate for as long as he could stand, and thus hold up a bill for that amount of time. Thus, a 3 or 4 man team could pass off the debating and a bill would never come to a vote.

Also, the filibuster started in ancient Rome and has been part of deliberative bodies ever since. The House of Representatives got rid of the filibuster when they started getting too large such that NOTHING could get passed.

As for Bush vetoing a spending bill. It hasn't happened yet and rest assured it will not happen. Bush has made it quite clear that the only deficit he cares about is in Social Security -- that may happen in 2041. And the only reason he cares obout that one is so he can use it as an excuse to eviscerate SS.

His threat to veto bills like this highway bill is just lip service, PR, or marketing. If it survives the House Senate Conferance committee, it will get signed. And yes, it DOES need to get passed again by the House and Senate after the Conferance committee concludes the final version. But that vote is perfunctory. There is no longer an option for debate or amendment, by House and Senate rules. If at that final vote it is voted down in either the House or Senate, it starts all over again from the beginning.


Now my facts above may not be perfect, but they are pretty darn close.




*Actually, the "two track" system that allows other Senate Bills to get passed, while another bill gets sidelined by a filibuster, dates to 1957. Since then the Senate would not get totally closed down.

 

If the Republicans go with the “Nuclear Option,†the Dems can retaliate with the Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) option by filibustering everything - thereby gaining maximum news media/camera exposure - and also asserting the greatest amount of pressure on the Republicans.

Nobody ever said nuclear war would be pretty. Kind of makes one wish there were Neutron Bombs in the Constitution . . . clear out the politicians but leave the infrastructure intact.

A Vote of No Confidence anyone?

 

I think the Bush record is a total zero on vetoing bills passed by both houses. He has signed them all, including the one that has heavy jail time for political speech. If anything passes both chambers the bill will become law.

 

Stupid question, but it says "may". That translates to "if and when the glacial-speed dmv gets off of it's collective butt and implements it, if they ever do", right? If so, I don't think I'll hold my breath.



dave.

 

you might want to check w/ your legislature... a few states already have taken steps allowing it to happen quickly.

in arizona we have a law already on the books that will allow hybrids to use the hov lane with only a single occupant IF the fed gov't approves.

i have confidence that it will happen pretty quickly. our MVD already issued Alt Fuel plates to the Priuses (is that a word?) in the State's fleet a few years ago, but then learned they screwed up & had to recall them (OOPS!) since it was a violation of federal law.

i actually called & spoke with a MVD supervisor here & she was up to speed on the situation, knew about the fed bill, knew about the state law already in place, know about their prior mishap, etc.

so they know the drill here... and are waiting until it's actually legal to issue them & we're good to go!

needless to say, i'm watching the bill in congress very closely. the senate should be voting on tuesday, after considering amendments on monday... and they need to get a bill to senor bush by 5/31, when the current bill expires.

my 05 tideland pearl package 5 should be arriving next month... hopefully just in time for HOV plates... can't wait!

 

When I look here

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d1...09:HR00003@@X

it says "6/9/2005:
Conference held."

Anyone know if that means they finished the house-senate conference of if they've just started it?

Thanks.