The House approved HR 22, the long-term highway bill, by a vote of 363-64 this week. The bill authorizes nearly $340 billion for highway and transit programs over six years. The bill must now be reconciled with a similar Senate bill before the transportation policy expires on Nov. 20.

The House amended the Senate-passed long-term highway bill, HR 22, the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE), by inserting HR 3763, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform (STRR) Act of 2015.

Below is a list of items important to agriculture and where they currently stand:

• Covered Farm Vehicles: Section 5509 of HR 3763 would protect states from losing federal funding if additional regulatory relief were provided to covered farm vehicles and drivers. This language is not included in the Senate version of HR 22. AFBF will be working with conferees to ensure inclusion in the final agreement.

• Hazardous Materials Endorsement Exemption: Section 33101 of Senate passed HR 22 would provide an exemption to a hazardous materials endorsement and would allow for farmers and custom harvesters with a Class A CDL to haul up to 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel if the service vehicle is clearly marked with a label reading “Diesel Fuel.” This language was also adopted by a voice vote to the House bill.

• Port Performance Act: Section 31301 of Senate passed HR 22 would ensure regular port performance metric collection and reporting that agriculture shippers need to be competitive in international markets. This amendment was withdrawn before consideration by the House.

• Petitions for Regulatory Relief: Section 32201 of Senate passed HR 22 would provide permanent Hours of Service exemptions for agriculture producers and ensures a timely and efficient process to seek future exemptions. This language was not included in the House bill.

• Commercial Driver Access: Section 32403 of Senate passed HR 22 would create a pilot program that would allow states to form compacts to allow CDL drivers between 18-21 to drive across state lines (currently must be 21, even though 49 states allow drivers under 21 to hold CDLs). Similar language exists in the House bill.

• Increased Truck Weights: Neither bill contains language that would increase the weight tolerances for heavier trucks. The Ribble amendment that would have given states the flexibility to set truck weight limits on Interstate Highways within their borders at 91,000 pounds for trucks equipped with an additional [sixth] axle failed 187-236. The Rooney amendment that would allow a state, by special permit, the operation of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to 95,000 pounds for the hauling of livestock failed 185-240.

The House also named conferees for an eventual conference committee. For the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, GOP conferees will include Chairman Bill Shuster, Jimmy Duncan of Tennessee, Sam Graves of Missouri, Rick Crawford of Arkansas, Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania, Blake Farenthold of Texas, Jeff Denham of California, Reid Ribble of Wisconsin, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Rob Woodall of Georgia, John Katko of New York, Bob Gibbs of Ohio, Brian Babin of Texas, Cresent Hardy of Nevada and Garret Graves of Louisiana.

Democratic conferees on the Transportation committee will include Peter DeFazio, Eleanor Holmes Norton of DC, Jerrold Nadler of New York, Corrine Brown of Florida, Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Elijah Cummings of Maryland, Rick Larsen of Washington, Michael Capuano of Massachusetts, Grace Napolitano of California, Daniel Lipinski of Illinois, Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Albio Sires of New Jersey.