30-day FAST Act extension signed into law

October 4, 2021

Land Line Staff

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Unable to pass an infrastructure bill in time, Congress approved a 30-day extension of the FAST Act.

The highway reauthorization bill expired at the end of September, marking the first lapse in U.S. Department of Transportation spending since 2010. President Joe Biden signed the extension into law on Oct. 2, and it will run through October.

“Over the weekend, Congress approved a 30-day extension of the FAST Act, which was quickly signed into law,” OOIDA wrote to its more than 150,000 members on Monday, Oct. 4. “The extension gives lawmakers more time to negotiate a new highway bill. We don’t expect that drivers will see any noticeable changes during this time.”

The Senate passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill in early August, but the House was unable to move it to Biden’s desk before the deadline.

The conflict stems from within the Democratic Party over the infrastructure bill and a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation measure. According to multiple reports, moderates are threatening to withhold support of the budget bill, and progressives are threatening to vote against the infrastructure bill until the budget bill passes the House and Senate.

“This is just another sign of the dysfunction in Washington,” OOIDA wrote last week. “Congress has missed opportunity after opportunity this year to help truckers through commonsense solutions, such as approving funding for truck parking, suspending the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax, or repealing the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime exemption for truckers so that they’re compensated for all their time. While the latest inaction is not shocking, the ineptitude is certainly frustrating.”

CNBC reported on Oct. 4 that Democrats will attempt to pass both a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a broader investment in social programs by the end of the month.

OOIDA said that the Senate-approved version of the infrastructure/highway bill remains the most likely outcome. LL