Tag Archives: Department of Transportation (DOT)

Why Is Congress Messing With Our Car Radios?

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On Wednesday, Townhall posted an article about the AM Radio in Every Vehicle Act (S.315). In January 2025, the act was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Why hasn’t it gone anywhere?

The article reports:

The legislation pushes back against automobile manufacturers moving to no longer include AM radio as standard equipment in new cars.

The bill mandates a Department of Transportation rule requiring that all new vehicles manufactured in the U.S. or imported come equipped with an AM radio and the ability to receive AM radio broadcasts.

At first glance, I felt, as I most always do, that what business is it of government to tell manufacturers what they should produce? These companies stay in business because they are the experts in how best to serve their customers.

In the name of disclosure, I am on the board of the National Religious Broadcasters, and NRB supports this legislation for various reasons, one being that AM radio is an important platform for Christian broadcasting.

However, despite my great zeal that all Americans hear the Gospel, I would not support this legislation for that reason. Again, we are talking about suppliers and consumers, and in my view, markets should operate freely and privately, and particular interest groups should not get government involved to protect and mandate what they want.

Given my first reaction to the bill, I was surprised to see the very wide (317 co-sponsors in the House) and very bipartisan support that it has.

The article notes:

I am persuaded in what I read as the national emergency benefits of AM broadcasting.

Here’s what my ChatGPT search tells me: “AM signals can travel hundreds of miles, especially at night, allowing one station to cover large regions; High power AM stations often have back-up generators and hardened transmission facilities, allowing them to continue broadcasting when cellular networks, internet service, or local FM stations fail; Many AM stations are designated as Primary Entry Point (PEP) stations. These stations are part of the national communications infrastructure and can broadcast presidential alerts and other emergency information during major disasters.”

AM radio is often the home of conservative talk radio. It was the home of Rush Limbaugh for many years. Now his successors occupy both AM and FM radio. This law needs to pass. If Americans don’t want AM radio in their cars, the car manufacturers can make that an option. Otherwise, put the AM radio in the car.

Who Are We Sharing The Road With?

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On Sunday, Red State posted a story about two truckers who were in America illegally and were smuggling drugs.

The article reports:

Indian illegal alien truck drivers aren’t just killing Americans with their reckless driving; they’re running drugs nationwide, too.

Gupreet Singh of Fresno, CA, and Jasveer Singh of Santa Clara, CA were arrested in Putnam County, Indiana on Saturday on a charge of dealing narcotics after over 300 pounds of cocaine were found in the sleeper berth of the semi tractor-trailer during a routine DOT inspection. Now those both those drugs and the truckers are off the street, and both Mr. Singhs are subject to ICE deportation holds.

…That cocaine is estimated to have a street value of $7 million, and was headed from Joplin, Missouri, to Richmond, Indiana.

According to the Indiana State Police, the investigation and seizure was conducted by a full-time interdiction trooper from the Drug Enforcement Section; ISP Superintendent Anthony Scott said full-time interdiction patrols “work to keep illegal drugs off the road and out of our communities.”

Indiana is also partnering with ICE to keep illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles off the highways. During a joint operation conducted by ISP and ICE last fall in the northwestern part of the state, 223 illegal aliens were arrested, “including 146 truck drivers. Many of those arrested had criminal records such as driving under the influence, assault, child abuse, burglary and drug trafficking, according to the governor’s office.”

It’s great that we caught these two and got them off the streets, but who gave them the drugs to transport? Getting them off the street is helpful, but finding the source of the drugs would be fantastic!

Following The Rules Saves Lives

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On Friday, Breitbart posted an article about the recent deadly crash allegedly caused by an illegal migrant truck driver from India.

The article reports:

Jashanpreet Singh, 21, was charged Thursday by the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office with three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of DUI causing injury in the eight-vehicle pileup, ABC7 reported.

A Los Angeles County high school basketball coach and his wife were killed, with Pomona High School identifying the victims as Clarence Nelson and his wife, Lisa. The third victim’s identity was not publicly released by Friday. 

The article includes a statement by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy:

“My prayers are with the families of the victims of this tragedy. It would have never happened if Gavin Newsom had followed our new rules,” Duffy said in a statement obtained by Breitbart News. “California broke the law and now three people are dead and two are hospitalized. These people deserve justice. There will be consequences.”

A report from the Department of Transportation (DOT) shows every step where California let Singh obtain his CDL against the department’s policies put in place following the state’s “significant compliance failures” revealed by a recent audit that found that 25 percent of non-domiciled CDLs sampled were issued improperly. 

The article notes:

On June 27, then 20-year-old Singh, claiming to be an asylum seeker, was issued a restricted, non-domiciled CDL. The license included a “K restriction,” which limited him to in-state operation, DOT said.  

On September 26, Duffy formally notified California of its compliance failures after a department audit revealed the staggering amount of improperly-issued CDLs. To fix the issue, DOT required California to pause issuance of non-domiciled CDLs, identify all unexpired non-domiciled CDLs that fail to comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, and to revoke and reissue all noncompliant non-domiciled CDLs if they comply with the new federal requirements.

Please follow the link to read the entire article. Governor Newsom is attempting to put the blame on the federal government, but I don’t think that really works. The bottom line is that we have a lot of people in the country illegally who don’t speak English and are driving large trucks. That is not a good thing.

People Who Live Or Work In New York City Will Cheer This

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On Wednesday, The New York Post reported that the much-hated congestion toll in New York City will be going away. The Department of Transportation (DOT) under President Trump has pulled the previous approval of the toll.

The article reports:

New York City’s spectacularly unpopular congestion pricing scheme is on death row as the Trump administration announced Wednesday it is pulling its approval of the toll — slamming it as “backwards and unfair” — in a major blow to Gov. Kathy Hochul, The Post has learned.

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration terminated the approval of the controversial program, according to a letter Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent to Hochul on Wednesday afternoon.

“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” said Duffy, noting that commuters entering NYC have already financed the construction and improvement of city roadways through their taxes.

“But now the toll program leaves drivers without any free highway alternative, and instead, takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways. It’s backwards and unfair,” he said, blasting the program as harmful to small businesses in the Big Apple that depend on customers from New Jersey and Connecticut.

I have a nephew (who has since moved to North Carolina) that worked in New York City in the motion picture industry. The toll would have resulted in more than $100 a week in commuting expenses. There were times when he needed to bring his truck into the City for his job, and the extra expense would be a problem. The people paying this toll are not the people who can afford it–they are the working people who are afraid to ride the subways because of safety issues. During the 1960’s, I rode the subway every day when I commuted to school, but I wouldn’t want to ride it now. This tax needed to go away, and I applaud Secretary Duffy for ending it. Also, some serious effort needs to be made to clean up the subways and make them safer.

The Times They Are A’Changing

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On Friday, The Epoch Times reported that Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy will be removing the unreasonable fossil fuel emissions standards put in place by the Biden administration.

The article reports:

In December 2023, the DOT’s Federal Highway Administration finalized a rule establishing a method to measure and report transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.

The rule required state-level agencies to establish targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles traveling on national highways. These emission targets were intended to become more stringent over time, and agencies were required to report on their progress in meeting them. The rule did not specify how low the targets should be but allowed agencies the discretion to set goals appropriate for their communities.

The rule was set up to “confront the increasingly urgent climate crisis,” according to the executive summary, and was expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. This was part of a plan to reach “net-zero emissions by no later than 2050,” according to a 2021 White House fact sheet.

On Jan. 29, Duffy approved a proposal to rescind the rule.

The article concludes:

The action is in line with several executive orders recently issued by President Donald Trump, including the “Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions” and “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” the department stated.

All DOT offices are required to identify and report, within 10 days, programs and policy statements that are subject to Trump’s relevant executive orders, according to the memo, and revoke nonconforming rules.

Duffy also signed an order to lower costs “through smarter policies, not political ideologies.” Under the order, it must be ensured that all DOT loans and grants are based on “sound economic principles, positive cost-benefit analyses, and pro-economic growth priorities.”

Duffy said these actions are a step toward restoring commonsense governance and merit-based policies at the Transportation Department.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are focused on eliminating excessive regulations that have hindered economic growth, increased costs for American families, and prioritized far-left agendas over practical solutions,” he said.“The American people deserve an efficient, safe, and pro-growth transportation system based on sound decision-making, not political ideologies. These actions will help us deliver on that promise.”

This is definitely a step in the right direction.

When The Courts Limit The Bureaucracy, Life Is Good!

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On Friday, The Epoch Times reported that a Texas judge has struck down a regulation that was issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2023.

The article reports:

The rule was issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2023 as part of President Biden’s efforts to slash carbon emissions in half by 2030.

Specifically, it required state transportation departments and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to both measure their transportation-related emissions on the U.S. highway system and set their own emission reduction targets.

Additionally, the measure required state DOTs and MPOs to report biennially on their progress in meeting the declining targets. FHWA would also assess the state’s progress toward achieving those targets, according to the rule.

Texas sued the DOT in December, arguing the agency lacked legal authority from Congress to enact the rule, and that it violates the Administrative Procedure Act.

In his ruling, Judge James Hendrix of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas agreed, stating that the Biden administration lacked authority under law to impose the greenhouse gas emissions performance measure.

“When a regulation attempts to override statutory text, the regulation loses every time, regulations can’t punch holes in the rules Congress has laid down,” the judge wrote, citing a previous case, Djie v. Garland.

The article concludes:

In finalizing the rule in December last year, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the performance measure would provide states with a “clear and consistent framework to track carbon pollution and the flexibility to set their own climate targets.” Officials also said transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

A spokesperson for the highway administration, which is part of the Transportation Department, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement: “ The Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) remain committed to supporting the Biden-Harris Administration’s climate goals of cutting carbon pollution in half by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”

“We are reviewing the Texas court’s decision and determining next steps,” the spokesperson added.

When are we going to go back to the time that the people who were elected to make the laws made the laws. We are being governed by a bunch of unelected bureaucrats, and that is not what our Founding Fathers designed. It’s time for Congress to read the Constitution and take their responsibilities seriously.

 

 

Misplaced Priorities?

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The Biden administration has set new records for misplaced priorities. Rather than support the American oil industry, they are going hat in hand to dictatorships asking them to increase oil production. They are promoting green energy which uses numerous components that China has monopolies on, supporting the Chinese economy while ignoring American workers. Transgender indoctrination in our schools is replacing basic education and critical thinking. Now we have an amazing story about the priorities of the Department of Transportation.

On October 7th, The First reported:

The supply chain is still not fixed, airlines are a mess, roads and bridges are crumbling everywhere and our Transportation Secretary is worried about making sure the fish can get where they need to go. 

The article notes:

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg unveiled a new national strategy Friday to “replace culverts currently obstructing fish passages.”

“Today, we launched a national program to fix and replace culverts currently obstructing fish passages and leaving roads vulnerable to flooding. This will bring environmental and economic benefits here in the Pacific Northwest and across America,” posted Buttigieg on Twitter.

As The Infrastructure Bill Inches Forward

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There are a few twists and turns in the process of dealing with the infrastructure bill that is before Congress.

The Epoch Times reported yesterday:

Buried in the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” in the U.S. Senate is approval for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to test a new federal tax on every mile driven by individual Americans.

The bill directs Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to establish a pilot program to demonstrate a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee designed “to restore and maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund.”

The objectives of the pilot program include:

To test the design, acceptance, implementation, and financial sustainability of a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.

To address the need for additional revenue for surface transportation infrastructure and a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.

To provide recommendations relating to the adoption and implementation of a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.

Although the new tax is described as a pilot program and would initially rely upon “volunteers” representing all 50 states, the infrastructure measure would also require the Treasury Department to establish a mechanism to collect motor vehicle per-mile user fees from the participants.

Make no mistake–this will eventually be a tax on all Americans if it is allowed to go through.

On Monday, Breitbart reported:

Earlier in the year, President Joe Biden nominated Gayle (Manchin – Senator Joe Manchin’s wife) to be the co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission. This commission is an economic development partnership involving the federal government and 13 states.

The Washington Times reported that the bill’s language makes the Appalachian Regional Commission “set to receive an additional billion dollars over the next four years. The new funding is set to increase the agency’s federal budget by more than 50% annually.” This year the commission requested $235 million from the taxpayer-funded federal government for their operation funding. That was already a 30 percent increase from the $175 million they received in 2020.

For this to possibly secure the senator’s vote, the commission, where his wife makes $160 thousand annually, is given an additional $200 million annually to focus on projects, which equals one billion dollars from fiscal years 2022 to 2026. The Times added:

ARC’s funding increase is significantly larger than other federal regional commissions are set to receive in the infrastructure package.

Apart from money, the infrastructure package also expands the ARC’s authority to increase broadband internet access by providing grants and “technical assistance.”

The text of the bill was originally obtained exclusively by Breitbart News from U.S. Senate sources not authorized to leak it after showing “concern that the murky and secretive process behind this bill may have led to widespread corruption throughout its nearly three thousand pages.”

When there are almost three thousand pages in a bill, there are bound to be some questionable items.

And finally, Zero Hedge posted the following today:

An already-tenuous $1 trillion infrastructure spending package has been thrown into further disarray this week, after lawmakers filed nearly 300 amendments to the legislation, according to The Hill, which notes that in several instances “senators are holding their colleagues’ amendments hostage by objecting to voting on them unless their own priorities are also guaranteed a vote.”

Stay tuned.