Capitol Agenda for the Week of Nov. 15: Lame Duck on the Menu

Just in time to avoid the swamp draining of Washington, D.C., that President-elect Donald Trump has promised, members of Congress return to Capitol Hill this week for what looks to be a brief and uneventful lame duck.

Republican leaders indicated their intention to start crafting some sort of an all-encompassing fiscal 2017 funding bill, known as an omnibus, that would keep the federal government running for several months. The bill’s duration has yet to be announced. Congress has until Dec. 9 to send outgoing President Obama the omnibus funding legislation. The big funding bill, or series of bills (minibuses), may spark debate about defense spending, and emergency aid for states healing from natural disasters. On trucking matters, watch for transportation funding leaders in the House and Senate to attach to must-pass funding legislation provisions that address hours-of-service and meal and rest break rules for truckers. The provisions are likely to state that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration would be deprived of funding to enforce the 1 a.m.-to-5 a.m. rest requirement for truckers. And, it would state that California and other states would be prevented from enacting laws requiring companies to schedule meal and rest breaks for drivers. This is important to the industry. As Bill Sullivan, American Trucking Associations head of advocacy, told Transport Topics: “We’re deep in discussions with Appropriations committees about how to try to solve these. Neither of them is easy, and we are fighting every single day and really, really focused on trying to get them across the finish line.”

THE WEEK AHEAD (all times EST):

Nov. 15, 9 a.m.: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration holds a meeting ahead of the 50th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods in Geneva from Nov. 28 to Dec. 6.

Nov. 15, 9:30 a.m.: The National Transportation Safety Board holds a meeting to review motor coach accidents.

Nov. 15 9:30 a.m.: The Bipartisan Policy Center holds a discussion on "Analyzing the 2016 Election."

Rosekind

Nov. 15, 10:30 a.m.: The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade holds a hearing titled "Disrupter Series: Self-Driving Cars." Witnesses include Mark Rosekind, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and Mitch Bainwol, CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

Nov. 16, 8 a.m.: Politico holds a discussion on "Tax Reform in the New Washington,” featuring Cathy Koch, America's tax policy leader at Ernst & Young.

Nov. 16, 10 a.m.: The Commerce Department holds a meeting of the Transportation and Related Equipment Technical Advisory Committee.

Nov. 16, 2:30 p.m.: The Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies hosts a hearing titled, "The Automated and Self-Driving Vehicle Revolution: What Is the Role of Government?" Witnesses include Rosekind and Deborah Hersman, CEO of the National Safety Council.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

BRAKE WEEK: Commercial motor vehicle officers reported 13.2% of inspections resulted in out-of-service orders for brake violations during a weeklong brake enforcement operation, compared with 12.3% last year and 16.2% in 2014.

LAND OF LINCOLN AND THE GARDEN STATE: Voters in Illinois and New Jersey approved lockboxes for transportation funding while those in Washington state rejected what would have been the nation’s first statewide carbon emissions tax.

KEITH HUBER: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Nov. 10 issued a safety advisory to provide notice to owners and operators of certain DOT407 and DOT412 cargo tanks manufactured by Keith Huber Inc. to immediately discontinue their use.

WHAT WE’RE READING:

So much for draining the swamp. Meet Martin Whitmer, the Trump administration’s transition adviser for transportation and infrastructure affairs, the New York Times reported Nov. 11. Whitmer is “chairman of a Washington law firm whose lobbying clients include the Association of American Railroads and the National Asphalt Pavement Association,” the Times wrote.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Everybody across the country is scrapping for that same bridge reconstruction. And so we do really need a plan. If I can do it for my infrastructure in the District, certainly we can expect that of our federal agencies to say, ‘These are the priorities that have to get done.’ ” — Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), at a Bloomberg News event in Washington on Nov. 14. The mayor lamented the level of federal aid for upgrades to the Memorial Bridge and other deteriorating federal landmarks in the District of Columbia.

FAVORITE VIDEO Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

In the spirit of togetherness, Republican House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy told Chris Wallace of Fox News on Nov. 13 the GOP-led Congress intends to get down and dirty on infrastructure funding next year. The new face of the Republican party, President-elect Trump, mentioned he would push forward with a 10-year, $1 trillion infrastructure funding plan. “America needs to focus on its infrastructure. It makes us more effective and more efficient. I think there is a place we could find common ground with Republicans and Democrats,” McCarthy said. 

FAVORITE TWEET

Days after winning his ninth term representing the people of southwestern Pennsylvania, House transportation panel chief Bill Shuster, a Republican, alerted the world of his plans to go hard with his committee agenda. Having a Republican-led House and Senate suggests that Shuster could achieve his to-do list.

The @Transport team is ready and the time to get to work is now. Read my full statement here ? https://t.co/MJN3ITWTT7 #transportation — Bill Shuster (@RepBillShuster) November 10, 2016

Thanks for reading Capitol Agenda! We publish when Congress is in session. E-mail tips to emulero@ttnews.com. Follow us @eugenemulero and @transporttopics.