Under the new leadership of Speaker Paul Ryan, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 363-64 to pass a six-year highway and transit bill that sets aside $325 billion for highway, bridge, and other surface transportation projects.
According to various legislative reports, the bill also contains a provision that would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to establish a return to the system of tire registration from the 1970s, mandating that all independent tire dealers register tires at the point of sale. The provision also would mandate new minimum standards for wet traction and rolling resistance, in addition to an easily accessible tire safety recall lookup database.
The House bill must still be reconciled with a similar Senate bill that also allows for six years of highway and transit policy, though at slightly higher funding levels. Negotiators hope to hammer out a final bill acceptable to lawmakers in both chambers by the time the current Highway Trust Fund policy expires on Nov. 20.