[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 68 (Thursday, April 26, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2483-S2484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and 
were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-217. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of West Virginia urging the United States 
     Congress to pass legislation permitting West Virginia to 
     increase the weight of vehicles permitted to operate on 
     Interstate Highways to that West Virginia may implement a 
     pilot program to study various vehicle configurations and 
     weights; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

[[Page S2484]]

  


                    Senate Concurrent Resolution 55

       Whereas, Federal law currently imposes vehicle weight 
     limitations on vehicles that operate on the National System 
     of Interstate and Defense Highways, The Dwight D. Eisenhower 
     System of Interstate and Defense Highways, hereafter 
     ``Interstate Highways''; and
       Whereas, The maximum gross weight typically allowed by any 
     State for vehicles using the Interstate Highways is twenty 
     thousand pounds carried on one axle, a tandem axle weight of 
     thirty-four thousand pounds, and an overall maximum gross 
     weight by formula; and
       Whereas, Federal law also contains many exceptions to such 
     weight limits; and
       Whereas, The increased capacity and ability of modem 
     vehicles to transport commodities and products, together with 
     increased economic pressures to reduce industry 
     transportation costs and increased environmental pressures to 
     lower carbon dioxide emissions, create economic incentives to 
     increase the loads vehicles may transport; and
       Whereas, Increasing the types of vehicles, weight of 
     vehicles, and types of loading and trucking configurations 
     permitted on roads would increase economic efficiencies; and
       Whereas, Excessive weights of vehicles can result in the 
     deterioration of roads and bridges, creating significant 
     costs in lost road and bridge use and life; and
       Whereas, Certain vehicle types, vehicle configurations, 
     load configurations, and other factors can alleviate or avoid 
     damaging effect on infrastructure from increased vehicle and 
     load weights; and
       Whereas, The West Virginia Legislature is directing the 
     West Virginia Department of Transportation and Division of 
     Highways, the West Virginia Department of Commerce, private 
     industry, including manufacturers of commodities or products, 
     and the engineering community, including the College of 
     Information Technology and Engineering at Marshall University 
     and the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources 
     at West Virginia University, to cooperate and study the 
     effect various trucking configurations and weights have on 
     West Virginia's entire road system, including Interstate 
     Highways; and
       Whereas, Such study would include an analysis of which 
     vehicle and load configurations and weights may be utilized 
     with minimal consequence to West Virginia's infrastructure, 
     including Interstate Highways, while permitting industry to 
     transport commodities and products in the most economical 
     ways; and
       Whereas, In order to complete such a study and pilot 
     program, West Virginia needs permission from the Congress of 
     the United States to increase the weight of vehicles 
     permitted to operate on Interstate Highways; Therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia: That the 
     Legislature urges the Congress of the United States to pass 
     legislation permitting West Virginia to increase the weight 
     of vehicles permitted to operate on Interstate Highways so 
     that West Virginia may implement a pilot program to study 
     various vehicle configurations and weights; and, be it 
     further
       Resolved, That the Legislature urges the President of the 
     United States to sign such legislation; and, be it further
       Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit copies of 
     this resolution to the President and Vice President of the 
     United States, to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the United States 
     Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from West 
     Virginia in the Congress of the United States.
                                  ____

       POM-218. A resolution adopted by the Township Council of 
     the Township of Mahwah, New Jersey, memorializing June 2, 
     2018, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day; to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.

                          ____________________