Vote Smart - Facts For All

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and adopt additional amendments to a bill that appropriates funds for transportation and infrastructure projects.

Highlights:

Appropriates funding to transportation programs for fiscal years 2016-2021, including, but not limited to, the following programs (Sec. 1101):

$242.1 billion to the Federal-Aid Highway Program;
$1.2 billion to the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program; and
$2.2 billion to the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects.

Appropriates $135 billion for the Export-Import Bank for fiscal years 2015- 2019 (Sec. 51001).

Full Bill Text

Legislation - Bill Passed With Amendment (Senate) (65-34) - July 30, 2015

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Title: Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funds for transportation and infrastructure projects.

Highlights:

Appropriates funds from the Highway Trust Fund to federal-aid highway programs, including the following funds (Sec. 1101):

$39.58 billion for fiscal year 2016;
$40.77 billion for fiscal year 2017;
$42.13 billion for fiscal year 2018;
$43.48 billion for fiscal year 2019;
$44.57 billion for fiscal year 2020; and
$45.69 billion for fiscal year 2021.

Requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to conduct a study of the Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) program to analyze the accuracy of certain measurements, including, but not limited to, the identification of high risk drivers (Sec. 32001).

Prohibits CSA program scores from being made public until any deficiencies identified by the CSA study have been addressed and a corrective action plan has been implemented (Sec. 32003).

Authorizes a state to enter into an interstate compact with up to 4 contiguous states to authorize a licensed driver between 18 and 21 years old to operate a commercial motor vehicle across applicable state lines (Sec. 32403).

Authorizes hair testing as an alternative to urinalysis in conducting a pre-employment or random screening of commercial truck drivers for controlled substance use (Sec. 32611).