On Dec. 23, Congress finalized the fiscal 2023 omnibus appropriations bill, funding the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year and averting a temporary government shut down. The bill now heads to the president for signature. The previous continuing resolution was set to expire Dec. 23 at midnight. The bill includes:
- $398,500,000 – Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program Formula Funds
- $58,500,000 – High Priority Grant Program
- $42,650,000 – Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation Program
- $1,200,000 – Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators Grant Program
- $5,000,000 – Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement Training and Support Grant
- $367,500,000 – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Operations and Administration Budget
- $1,000,000 – Community Safety Grants
In addition, the bill:
- Encourages the U.S. Department of Transportation to prioritize efforts to combat human trafficking
- Directs FMCSA to incorporate rear underride guards into Appendix G (now Appendix A)
- Requires FMCSA to provide regular updates to Congress on the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program
- Continues the electronic logging device exemption for livestock and insect haulers
- Encourages the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to move forward with a 2014 rulemaking requiring conspicuity tape on commercial motor vehicles 10,001 lbs. and up
- Directs the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to work with the authorizing committees and relevant stakeholders to develop a proposal for increased fee levels that would support the authorized funding amount for the agency’s emergency response grants, including the Hazardous Materials Instructor Training Grant, authorized under the most recent transportation reauthorization