WASHINGTON UPDATE NIADA Government Report
of sources that includes repurposing unused COVID relief funds, indexing the gas tax to inflation, a surcharge on electric vehicles and privatesector investments.
Brett Scott, NIADA Vice-President of Government Affairs
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IADA is your voice in Washington D.C.,
advocating for independent dealers, the used vehicle industry and small business. Here’s a look at the latest news and NIADA efforts regarding legislative, regulatory, PAC and grass roots activities.
Legislative Infrastructure: After negotiations between the Administration and Senate Republicans over President Biden’s multitrillion-dollar infrastructure plan broke down, a bipartisan group of 20 senators stepped in with a compromise plan that at press time seemed to be gaining traction. The group, led by Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), has proposed a package that would cost $973 billion over five years or $1.2 trillion over eight, and it focuses on traditional infrastructure, including roads, bridges, rail transportation, ports, airports, water, power and broadband.
The White House and some Democrats have balked at that plan, preferring to fund the bill by raising income taxes on corporations and individuals earning more than $400,000 per year. As talks continue on that plan, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, and more liberal Democrats are backing a massive $6 trillion proposal that would begin with infrastructure but would also include funding for child care, health care, addressing climate change, pre-kindergarten and community college access, job training and an expansion of Medicare. Passing that package through budget reconciliation would require the support of all 50 Democratic senators, which will be difficult given the opposition of moderates such as Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) to such huge price tags. Recalls: Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) introduced an amendment
The proposal would not alter the current tax structure – the projects would be paid for with a combination
16 | the Front Row | wsiada.com | July/August 2021
to ban the sale of all vehicles with an open recall as part of the Surface Transportation Investment Act, a $78 billion package addressing issues involving vehicles, highways and rail transportation that was being considered by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. But with the help of a strong lobbying effort by NIADA and its members, in conjunction with other auto industry organizations, the amendment was withdrawn before it could be voted on. The bill – without the Blumenthal amendment – was approved by the committee by an overwhelming 25-3 margin and now moves on to the full Senate. Clean Energy for America Act: The bill, which would consolidate more than 40 energy tax incentives into one set of emissions-based provisions to encourage clean electricity, clean transportation and energy efficiency, advanced to the full Senate following a tie vote along party lines in the Senate Finance Committee. The bill would increase tax incentives for consumers buying electric vehicles from $7,500 to up to $12,500, adding $2,500 if the vehicle is assembled in
