House considers highway bill

House considers highway bill    The U.S. House of Representatives began debate Wednesday on a multiyear $283.9 billion highway reauthorization bill that has been stuck in Congress for almost two years.
   The massive blueprint for funding highway, rail and transit projects and relieving congestion includes several programs to improve freight movement, such as funding for border infrastructure, intermodal connectors and dedicated truck lanes.
   The American Trucking Associations is opposing an amendment that would allow states to collect tolls on interstate highways, saying the measure would hurt truck drivers.
   Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark., withdrew his proposal that would require the Department of Transportation to revise its Hours of Service work rules to allow drivers to take up to two hours of breaks instead of the current requirement of a hard 14-hour on-duty cap. The DOT is under court order to revise its regulation because it did not consider the health effects on drivers.
   The delay in approving a new spending plan has forced the DOT and state transportation departments to operate under previous funding levels and held up many projects until Congress commits to them. The Bush administration supported the $289.3 billion figure in its 2006 budget, about a $24-billion increase from last year’s budget proposal.