[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 117 (Friday, July 24, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S5693]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2345. Mrs. FISCHER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by her to the bill H.R. 22, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
to exempt employees with health coverage under TRICARE or the Veterans
Administration from being taken into account for purposes of
determining the employers to which the employer mandate applies under
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; which was ordered to
lie on the table; as follows:
Beginning on page 450, strike line 13 and all that follows
through page 453, line 16, and insert the following:
SEC. 32403. COMMERCIAL DRIVER ACCESS.
(a) Interstate Compact Pilot Program.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration shall establish a 6-year pilot
program to study the feasibility, benefits, and safety
impacts of allowing a licensed driver between 18 and 21 years
of age to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate
commerce.
(2) Interstate compacts.--The Secretary shall allow States,
including the District of Columbia, to enter into an
interstate compact with contiguous States to allow a licensed
driver between 18 and 21 years of age to operate a motor
vehicle across the applicable State lines. The Secretary
shall approve as many as 6 interstate compacts, with no limit
on the number of States participating in each interstate
compact.
(3) Mutual recognition of licenses.--A valid intrastate
commercial driver's licenses issued by a State participating
in an interstate compact under paragraph (2) shall be
recognized as valid in each State that is participating in
that interstate compact.
(4) Standards.--In developing an interstate compact under
this subsection, participating States shall provide for
minimum licensure standards acceptable for interstate travel
under this section, which may include, for a licensed driver
between 18 and 21 years of age participating in the pilot
program--
(A) age restrictions;
(B) distance from origin (measured in air miles);
(C) reporting requirements; or
(D) additional hours of service restrictions.
(5) Limitations.--An interstate compact under paragraph (2)
may not permit special configuration or hazardous cargo
operations to be transported by a licensed driver under 21
years of age.
(6) Additional requirements.--The Secretary may--
(A) prescribe such additional requirements, including
training, for a licensed driver between 18 and 21 years of
age participating in the pilot program as the Secretary
considers necessary; and
(B) provide risk mitigation restrictions and limitations.
(b) Approval.--An interstate compact under subsection
(a)(2) may not go into effect until it has been approved by
the governor of each State (or the Mayor of the District of
Columbia, if applicable) that is a party to the interstate
compact, after consultation with the Secretary of
Transportation and the Administrator of the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration.
(c) Report.--Not earlier than 4 years after the date on
which the test program is established, the Secretary shall
submit a report to Congress that contains--
(1) the findings of the pilot program;
(2) a determination of whether a licensed driver between 18
and 21 years of age can operate a commercial motor vehicle in
interstate commerce with an equivalent level of safety; and
(3) the reasons for that determination.
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