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Ray Kubacki, chairman and CEO of


Acton, Mass.-based Psychemedics Corp, with business partnerships in Brazil, commented, “We applaud the Brazilian Federal Government for its leadership role in utilizing the rigorous hair test to ensure public safety on the roads of Brazil.” Legislation introduced by U.S.


Senators Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.) directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to accept hair testing as an acceptable form of drug testing.


LAWMAKER PROPOSES 15¢ INCREASE IN FUEL TAX On December 4, U.S. Rep. Earl


Blumenauer (D-Ore.) unveiled the “Update, Promote and Develop America’s Transportation Essentials Act of 2013” — H.R. 3636 — which would gradually add 15 cents to diesel and fuel tax by 2016 to fill a widening shortfall in the federal government’s main source of transportation funding.


The current tax is 24.4 cents per


gallon on diesel and 18.4 cents per gal- lon on gasoline. Rep. Blumenauer acknowledged the


gas tax is unpopular with the public and that an increase doesn’t have strong odds of passing. House Republicans have opposed any tax increases. Meanwhile, MAP-21, the current surface transpor- tation authorization law, is set to expire September 2014, about six weeks before the midterm elections. “Frankly, there has been a biparti-


san failure of will,” Blumenauer said at a news conference, joined by represen- tatives from labor, business, trucking, transit and road builder groups. He said he hopes he can garner a


hearing on transportation financing and spur proposals from other members of Congress. “It’s about paying for what we


use and investing in our future,” Blumenauer said. “It isn’t popular — everybody wants somebody else to take the first step.”


American Trucking Associations


(ATA) has led an effort in recent years to boost federal fuel taxes but has met stiff resistance in Washington. ATA has long supported an


increase in fuel taxes to keep up with the nation’s infrastructure needs and ensure freight moves efficiently. A fuel tax is the most effective funding source because it is collected from users and has minimal administrative costs, Mary Phillips, ATA senior vice president of legislative affairs, said at the news con- ference. “Our support for raising the fuel


tax should clearly demonstrate just how critical good roads are for moving freight, commuters, vacationers and shoppers,” she said. Congress last raised the federal fuel


tax by 4 cents in 1993, but its purchas- ing power has diminished. Inflation, more efficient vehicles on the road and people driving less have contributed to a gap in the Highway Trust Fund.





ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 6 2013


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