[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5632 Reported in House (RH)]
Union Calendar No. 301
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5632
[Report No. 109-537]
To amend Chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, to establish a
national tire fuel efficiency consumer information program, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 16, 2006
Mr. Shimkus (for himself, Mr. Engel, and Mr. Allen) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
June 28, 2006
Additional sponsors: Mr. Kingston and Mr. Lipinski
June 28, 2006
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend Chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, to establish a
national tire fuel efficiency consumer information program, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. TIRE FUEL EFFICIENCY CONSUMER
INFORMATION.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Chapter 301 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 30123 the following new
section:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 30123A. Tire Fuel Efficiency Consumer
Information</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(a) Rulemaking.--(1) Not later than 18 months after the
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation
shall, after notice and opportunity for comment, promulgate rules
establishing a national tire fuel efficiency consumer information
program for tires designed for use on motor vehicles to educate
consumers about the effect of tires on automobile fuel
efficiency.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Items Included in Rule.--The rulemaking shall
include each of the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) A national tire fuel efficiency rating
system for motor vehicle tires to assist consumers in making
more educated tire purchasing decisions.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) Requirements for providing information to
consumers, including information at the point of sale and other
potential information dissemination methods, including the
internet.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) Specifications for test methods for
manufacturers to use in assessing and rating tires to avoid
variation among test equipment and manufacturers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) A national tire maintenance consumer
education program including, information on tire inflation
pressure, alignment, rotation, and tread wear to maximize fuel
efficiency.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) Applicability.--This section shall not apply to
tires excluded from coverage under section 575.104(c)(2) of title 49,
Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on date of enactment of this
section.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(b) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the
Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency on the means of conveying tire fuel efficiency
consumer information.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall conduct
periodic assessments of the rules promulgated under this section to
determine the utility of such rules to consumers, the level of
cooperation by industry, and the contribution to national goals
pertaining to energy consumption. The Secretary shall transmit periodic
reports detailing the findings of such assessments to the Energy and
Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives and the Commerce,
Science, and Transportation Committee of the Senate.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(d) Tire Marking.--The Secretary shall not require
permanent labeling of any kind on a tire for the purpose of tire fuel
efficiency information.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(e) Preemption.--When a requirement under this section
is in effect, a State or political subdivision of a State may adopt or
enforce a law or regulation on tire fuel efficiency consumer
information only if the law or regulation is identical to that
requirement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt a
State or political subdivision of a State from regulating the fuel
efficiency of tires not otherwise preempted under this
chapter.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Enforcement.--Section 30165(a) of such chapter is
amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) Section 30123a.--Any person who fails to
comply with the national tire fuel efficiency consumer
information program under section 30123A is liable to the
United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than
$50,000 for each violation.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for chapter
301 of title 49 is amended by adding the following new item after the
item relating to section 30123:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``30123A. Tire fuel efficiency consumer information.''.
</DELETED>SECTION 1. TIRE FUEL EFFICIENCY CONSUMER INFORMATION.
(a) In General.--Chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after section 30123 the following new section:
``Sec. 30123A. Tire Fuel Efficiency Consumer Information
``(a) Rulemaking.--(1) Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall, after
notice and opportunity for comment, promulgate rules establishing a
national tire fuel efficiency consumer information program for tires
designed for use on motor vehicles to educate consumers about the
effect of tires on automobile fuel efficiency.
``(2) The rulemaking shall include each of the following:
``(A) A national tire fuel efficiency rating system for
motor vehicle tires to assist consumers in making more educated
tire purchasing decisions.
``(B) Requirements for providing information to consumers,
including information at the point of sale and other potential
information dissemination methods, including the internet.
``(C) Specifications for test methods for manufacturers to
use in assessing and rating tires to avoid variation among test
equipment and manufacturers.
``(D) A national tire maintenance consumer education
program including, information on tire inflation pressure,
alignment, rotation, and tread wear to maximize fuel
efficiency.
``(3) This section shall not apply to tires excluded from coverage
under section 575.104(c) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, as
in effect on date of enactment of this section.
``(b) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the Secretary
of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
on the means of conveying tire fuel efficiency consumer information.
``(c) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall conduct periodic
assessments of the rules promulgated under this section to determine
the utility of such rules to consumers, the level of cooperation by
industry, and the contribution to national goals pertaining to energy
consumption. The Secretary shall transmit periodic reports detailing
the findings of such assessments to the Energy and Commerce Committee
of the House of Representatives and the Commerce, Science, and
Transportation Committee of the Senate.
``(d) Tire Marking.--The Secretary shall not require permanent
labeling of any kind on a tire for the purpose of tire fuel efficiency
information.
``(e) Preemption.--Nothing in this section shall prohibit a State
or political subdivision of a State from enforcing a law or regulation
on tire fuel efficiency consumer information in effect on January 1,
2006. After a requirement under this section is in effect, a State or
political subdivision of a State may adopt or enforce a law or
regulation on tire fuel efficiency consumer information enacted after
January 1, 2006, only if the law or regulation is identical to that
requirement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt a
State or political subdivision of a State from regulating the fuel
efficiency of tires not otherwise preempted under this chapter.''.
(b) Enforcement.--Section 30165(a) of such chapter is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(4) Section 30123a.--Any person who fails to comply with
the national tire fuel efficiency consumer information program
under section 30123A is liable to the United States Government
for a civil penalty of not more than $50,000 for each
violation.''.
(c) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for chapter 301 of
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding the following new
item after the item relating to section 30123:
``30123A. Tire fuel efficiency consumer information.''.
Union Calendar No. 301
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5632
[Report No. 109-537]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend Chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, to establish a
national tire fuel efficiency consumer information program, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 28, 2006
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed