DRIVE Act

Bill Number

H.R. 2819

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Transportation and Public Works

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-04-10: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Last Updated

2025-06-25T15:13:44Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The DRIVE Act (H.R. 2819) aims to prevent the federal government from mandating speed limiting devices on certain large commercial vehicles, specifically to avoid new regulations that could impose operational restrictions on interstate trucking.

Key Provisions

• Short Title: The bill is officially titled the "Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen-wheelers Act" or the "DRIVE Act."
• Prohibition on Speed Limiting Devices: The Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)—the agency responsible for regulating commercial vehicle safety— is barred from issuing any rules or regulations requiring vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (total weight including cargo) exceeding 26,000 pounds, when operating across state lines (interstate commerce), to be equipped with a speed limiting device set to a maximum speed.
• This prohibition applies regardless of other existing laws, making it a blanket restriction on such rulemaking.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill introduces a new, explicit ban on FMCSA's authority to require speed limiters on heavy trucks, which does not currently exist in federal law.
• It preemptively overrides any potential future regulations under broader safety laws, such as those in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, without altering existing rules on other vehicle safety features.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Limits the FMCSA's regulatory flexibility in addressing highway safety issues related to vehicle speed, potentially reducing the agency's ability to respond to data on speed-related accidents involving commercial trucks.
• On Citizens: Could affect road safety by preventing mandatory speed controls on large trucks, which might otherwise reduce high-speed collisions; however, it preserves driver and operator autonomy in vehicle operation.
• On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic interstate commerce and does not address cross-border trucking treaties or international standards.
• Broader economic effects may include lower compliance costs for the trucking industry, potentially influencing freight transport efficiency and costs passed on to consumers.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Trucking Industry and Operators: Primary beneficiaries, including companies operating semi-trucks (eighteen-wheelers) and independent drivers, who avoid mandatory device installations and related maintenance.
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA): Directly constrained in its rulemaking powers.
• Highway Safety Advocates and the Public: Potentially adversely affected if speed limiters could have improved safety for all road users, including passenger vehicles sharing highways with trucks.
• State Governments: May influence state-level trucking regulations, as federal preemption could limit harmonized safety standards.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: Strengthens congressional oversight of executive agency actions by using a "notwithstanding" clause to block specific regulations, potentially setting a precedent for limiting administrative rulemaking under statutes like the Motor Carrier Safety Act.
• Constitutional Implications: Aligns with federalism principles by reserving certain regulatory decisions to Congress rather than agencies, but could face challenges if seen as unduly restricting safety enforcement without evidence-based justification.
• Political Implications: Reflects a deregulatory approach favored by the bill's sponsors (a bipartisan group of House Republicans), emphasizing reduced federal burdens on businesses; it may spark debates on balancing economic freedom with public safety in transportation policy.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Brecheen, Josh [R-OK-2]

Cosponsors (22)

Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12], Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8], Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5], Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large], Rep. Burlison, Eric [R-MO-7], Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4], Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1], Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3], Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3], Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large], Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3], Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1], Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9], Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19], Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36], Rep. Cloud, Michael [R-TX-27], Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22], Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17], Rep. Moran, Nathaniel [R-TX-1], Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2], Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]

Recent Actions

• 2025-04-10: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
• 2025-04-10: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
• 2025-04-10: Introduced in House
• 2025-04-10: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen-wheelers Act — issued 2025-04-10 — PDF (2 pages)