Fiscal 2025 Bills on Congress鈥� Fall Calendar
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When senators return to Washington from the August recess, passing fiscal 2025 legislation will headline the chamber鈥檚 agenda, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said before adjourning for the summer.
Lawmakers anticipate a partisan clash this fall since House and Senate appropriations funding measures differ on spending levels as well as policy instructions.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to take bipartisanship to avert a shutdown, as it always does,鈥� Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Aug. 1. 鈥淚n the Senate we鈥檙e working on bipartisan bills. I think they passed three or four more bills today in the Senate [Appropriations] Committee 鈥� Democrat and Republican 鈥� Chair [Patty] Murray, ranking member [Sen. Susan] Collins working together.鈥�
The Senate leader added, 鈥淐ontrast that to the House, where they can鈥檛 pass anything bipartisan. They can鈥檛 even pass some of the bills with partisan majorities, and it鈥檚 filled with poison [policy] pills. So we鈥檙e going to have to work hard. But I鈥檓 confident if Speaker [Mike] Johnson learns the lessons of the past few times and works in a bipartisan way, we can avoid a shutdown.鈥�
Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), left, Susan Collins (R-Maine)听
Congress will have nearly three weeks to clear for the White House spending bills for the upcoming fiscal year to avert a partial shutdown. Funding authority for federal agencies expires Oct. 1. Last month, the appropriations panel easily advanced the Transportation Department fiscal 2025 funding bill.
Murray (D-Wash.) argued it 鈥渕akes critical new investments to help people keep a roof over their head and safely get to where they need to be 鈥� with new funding to hire more air traffic controllers and air and rail safety inspectors, boost our housing supply, sustain rental assistance, [and] improve America鈥檚 roads and bridges.鈥�
Dollar Distribution
Proposed funding for U.S. Department of Transportation agencies in the fiscal 2025 bill:
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: $964.5 million
- Federal Highway Administration: $63.1 billion
- Federal Aviation Administration: $22 billion
- Federal Transit Administration: $17 billion
- Federal Railroad Administration: $3.4 billion
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: $1.2 billion
As for policy directives specific to trucking, the legislation would block enforcement of electronic logging devices for carriers transporting livestock or insects. The bill would prohibit inward-facing cameras as part of a commercial driver apprenticeship, and it would urge FMCSA to assist in a review of guidelines meant to safeguard against predatory towing.
Per autonomous trucks, the measure assigns FMCSA a review of existing research about safety warning device systems or signs. And the bill calls for a comprehensive report on cargo theft trends identified in the commercial transportation supply chain.
鈥淚t is critical that we prioritize significant investments to improve our nation鈥檚 airports, roads, bridges and ports as well as increase the supply of safe, affordable housing for communities throughout the country,鈥� added Collins (R-Maine) about the bill, which also would fund programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. On the other side of the Capitol, the Republican-led House has yet to schedule a floor vote on its committee-passed version.
痴补苍肠别听
Regarding freight rail policy, Schumer emphasized his caucus is pushing for passage of the Commerce Committee-passed Railway Safety Act. However, broad bipartisan support has yet to be demonstrated by the bill鈥檚 co-lead sponsor, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). The first-term senator is former President Donald Trump鈥檚 re-election running mate.
鈥淚 asked J.D. Vance about four times 鈥� to give me 10 names of Republicans 鈥� and we need a few more than 10 if we have an absence here or there 鈥� but to give me 10 names of Republicans who would vote for the bill. He couldn鈥檛,鈥� said Schumer, referring to the chamber鈥檚 60-vote threshold for passing bills.
Jeff Loftus of FMCSA joins TT鈥檚 Seth Clevenger to discuss the current outlook on ADAS technology and how it will affect the industry at large.听Tune in above or by going to .听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bill we want to pass. It鈥檚 a good bill. And if he can show us that there are 10 votes 鈥� now maybe that he鈥檚 [the] vice president [nominee] that鈥檚 changed 鈥� we鈥檒l get the bill done,鈥� he said. 鈥淪how us the 10 votes, and we鈥檒l get it done.鈥�
Despite lacking significant backing from Senate Republicans, Vance has continued to champion his bill.
鈥淭he derailment and subsequent chemical explosion were preventable tragedies resulting from a series of errors made by Norfolk Southern and its contractors,鈥� he said.
This summer, the determined a Norfolk Southern railcar鈥檚 defective wheel bearing caused the Feb. 3, 2023, derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. House Republicans unveiled comprehensive freight rail legislation shortly after NTSB鈥檚 findings.
Sponsored by Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), the Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2024 awaits a vote in committee.
狈别丑濒蝉听
鈥淭his bipartisan legislation will help modernize our nation鈥檚 rail network and invest in crucial programs that will enhance our rail network鈥檚 safety,鈥� Nehls said July 23. 鈥淚 applaud my Republican Senate colleague, Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance, for introducing the Railway Safety Act of 2023, which is a core component of this legislation.鈥�
Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), instrumental in working with Vance to advance their legislation, applauded the House version.
鈥淭he NTSB鈥檚 findings make clear that the East Palestine derailment could have been prevented. The Railway Safety Act requires technologies to detect problems before they cause a derailment, adds safeguards for trains transporting flammable gas, increases penalties for safety violations and gives communities more resources to prepare for derailments,鈥� the chairwoman said last month. 鈥淐ongress needs to act on rail safety.鈥�
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