2015: Schweikert Voted Against An Amendment That Would Allow Federal Funding For Regulations That Increased The Financial Responsibility For Transporting Property Or Passengers In Commercial Vehicles. In June 2015, Schweikert voted against an amendment that allowed federal funding to develop and implement regulations that increased financial responsibility for transporting people and property in commercial vehicles. According to Congressional Quarterly, the bill would, "remove a section of the bill that would bar funds from being used to develop, issue or implement regulations that increase the minimum financial responsibility for transporting passengers or property by commercial motor vehicles." The underlying bill would make, according to Congressional Quarterly, "appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2016, and for other purposes." The vote was on adoption of the amendment and the House rejected the amendment 176 to 247. [House Vote 301, 6/4/15; Congressional Quarterly, 6/4/15; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 371; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2577]
Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA): The Amendment Would Make Highways More Safe. In a floor speech Rep. Cartwright, said, "My amendment would strike a section of this bill that would halt the FMCSA's [Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration] work toward issuing a rule that would make our highways safer for everyone by creating an incentive for motor carriers to make safety a greater priority. We have to allow the FMCSA [Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration] to proceed with the development of a rule to increase insurance minimums for motor carriers, which have not been updated in, fully, 35 years in this Nation and, thus, have become outdated to the point of uselessness." [Congressional Record, 6/4/15]
Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA): The Amendment Updated Liability Insurance To Keep Pace With Inflation, Making Highway Carriers More Financially Responsible. In a floor speech, Rep. Cartwright said, "The first point I make is that it is simply common sense that we adjust for inflation. Not adjusting for inflation for 35 years is not prudent, and it makes no sense. It allows carriers to travel on our Nation's highways in a financially irresponsible manner, in a manner that would allow them not to be accountable for whatever harm they might cause. Adjusting for inflation is common sense. It is also fiscally prudent, because what happens? Right now in this Nation, tractor-trailers are allowed to travel around with $750,000 of liability insurance. The FMCSA is studying that number to see what it should be updated to after 35 years. $750,000 is not enough money." [Congressional Record, 6/4/15]
Rep. David Young (R-IA) Opposed The Amendment Because The Amendment Would Kill Jobs. In a floor speech, Rep. Young said, "As is frequently the case in Washington, D.C., the proposed rules requiring truckers to increase their liability insurance is a solution in search of a problem. The provision currently included in the bill must remain. It must remain because it protects job creators so they can stay in business. When you consider that 99.9 percent of crashes are already covered by existing insurance requirements, you can see that increasing insurance and, thus, costs at the expense of jobs is just not a credible solution. [...] Bottom line, we need to strike a balance. If the proposed regulations went into effect, our smaller trucking companies in Iowa and other rural areas in States around the country would be unable to absorb the increased costs, and it could threaten their ability to stay in business." [Congressional Record, 6/4/15]
Rep. Perry (R-PA): Increased Insurance Premiums For Commercial Vehicles Would Not Improve Highway Safety. In a floor speech, Rep. Schweikert said, "Increasing insurance requirements will not improve highway safety. I mean, what incentive does it create? How does increasing the insurance requirement improve safety? It is not backed by any sound data." [Congressional Record, 6/4/15]