WASHINGTON — The top Democrat on a Senate trucking subcommittee said he is hopeful Republican leaders will be forced to remove a provision in a short-term funding bill that would clarify an hours-of-service rule for truckers.

A clarification to regulators about an hours-of-service rule for truck drivers has been attached to a short-term funding bill the House and Senate need to advance by Dec. 9 to keep the federal government running beyond this week.

WASHINGTON — The rapid developments in autonomous trucks that several companies are embracing will continue to require drivers inside the vehicles, the trucking industry’s chief representative told lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Dec. 6.

Congress has to come up with a short-term bill by Dec. 9 to keep the government funded, but a longer view of infrastructure needs was taking shape elsewhere in Washington. Keith Laing of The Detroit News joins TT's Eugene Mulero for a video preview of the week ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill.

Determining the most efficient way for boosting funds for new and existing infrastructure projects will be a top priority for the Republican-led U.S. House next year, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Dec. 5.

Elaine Chao, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for secretary of transportation, has the endorsement of the commercial transportation sector and would bring to the job nearly a decade of experience running a federal agency.

Funding for government agencies is expected to go beyond March in a bid to give Trump administration officials a voice in the congressional appropriations process next year, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Dec. 1.

Increases next year in private highway and bridge construction activity across residential and commercial developments will help transportation construction to grow by 1.3%, a leading transportation economist indicated Dec. 2.

Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross, an architect of the Trump campaign’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan, is intended to be the president-elect’s pick to lead the Department of Commerce during his administration.

Former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao has been chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to run the Department of Transportation under his watch.