Insights - July 2015 - (Page 2)

Download the Mobile App The Intermodal Insights mobile app is available in the Google Play Store and in the App Store. Download to your mobile device today! Cover image © depositphotos.com Intermodal Insights is published monthly by the Intermodal Association of North America for the benefit of its members. Intermodal Insights is a registered trademark of the Intermodal Association of North America. All rights reserved. Paul Scott Abbott, Editor Send press releases and letters to the editor to insights@intermodal.org. Must be received by the 10th of the month to be considered for inclusion in the next issue. Maggie Miller, Advertising Sales 301-982-3400, ext. 350 advertising@intermodal.org Joanne F. Casey, President & CEO INTERMODAL ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA 11785 Beltsville Drive, Suite 1100 Calverton, MD 20705-4048 301-982-3400 * Fax: 301-982-4815 www.intermodal.org 2 Intermodal Insights | July 2015 Federal Update Highway Funding to Expire July 31 With the latest extension of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, or MAP-21, due to expire July 31, federal legislators now must focus on long-term surface transportation legislation or, perhaps, yet another short-term extension. Facing a MAP-21 expiration date of May 31 along with plans for a long Memorial Day weekend, the House on May 19 approved H.R. 2353 to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent for 60 more days. The bill passed the Senate by voice vote on May 23 - Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend - advancing it May 26 to the desk of President Barack Obama for signing into law May 29. It was the 33rd temporary fix for surface transportation funding approved by Congress since 2008. Visit www.govtrack.us/congress/ bills/114/hr2353 for more on the latest extension measure, including its text. The same day as the House vote approving the two-month extension, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced the latest long-term surface transportation bill. H.R. 2410 embodies the Obama administration's $478 billion, six-year plan, calling for funding via levies on overseas earnings of U.S. companies. Go to www. govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr2410 to track the measure. Among other recently introduced highway measures is H.R. 2565, the Prioritizing American Road and Jobs Act of 2015, offered May 21 by Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark. It calls for changing ObamaCare Medicaid expansion match rates to generate as much as $15 billion a year for the Highway Trust Fund. Visit www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/ hr2565 to track H.R. 2565, which was assigned to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. H.R. 2716, the Transportation Em- powerment Act, calling for gradual reductions in federal fuels taxes and shifting greater responsibility for transportation funding decisions to the state level, was introduced June 10 by Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla. It was referred to four House committees. Go to www. govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr2716 to track H.R. 2716. The Obama administration has threatened veto of one of the several long-term measures being mulled - H.R. 2577 - claiming it would cut critical transportation investments. Industry leaders reiterated pleas for a long-term solution at a June 17 hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee and a June 18 hearing of the Senate Finance Committee. Bill Seeks to Cut Project Reviews Congress is mulling a measure that would allow state-approved transportation projects to avoid having to go through the federal environmental review process. H.R. 2497, introduced May 21 by Federal Update - continued on page 25 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr2716 http://www.depositphotos.com http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr2353 http://www.cushingtrans.com http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr2410 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr2565 http://www.cushingtrans.com http://www.intermodal.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Insights - July 2015

Contents
Fed Update
Highway Funding to Expire July 31
Changes to IANA Bylaws Proposed
U. of Md., IANA Team on Intermodal Job Portal
Information Services News
Exclusive Report: Fed Economist to Share Outlook at Intermodal EXPO 2015
Exclusive Report: Asset-Tracking Advances from ‘Dots on Map’
Freight Reports
Yearly Traffic Chart
EXPO Education Session by Stakeholder Interests
State Legislative Update
Port News
Seattle, Tacoma Advance Alliance
Federal Official Tours PSI Plant
People in the News
In Brief
2015 Sponsors
New Members
Industry Calendar

Insights - July 2015