Plain English summary not yet available
The full original text is available below. Check back soon as we process this bill.
I
116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 3781
To increase the minimum levels of financial responsibility for transporting
property, and to index future increases to changes in inflation relating
to medical care.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 16, 2019
Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois (for himself, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms.
MENG, Mr. COHEN, Mr. PAYNE, and Mr. SOTO) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure
A BILL
To increase the minimum levels of financial responsibility
for transporting property, and to index future increases
to changes in inflation relating to medical care.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving National
4
Safety by Updating the Required Amount of Insurance
5
Needed by Commercial Motor Vehicles per Event (IN-
6
SURANCE) Act of 2019’’.
7
VerDate Sep 11 2014
21:50 Jul 25, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3781.IH
H3781
Pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
2
•HR 3781 IH
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
1
The Congress finds the following:
2
(1) In passing the Motor Carrier Act of 1980,
3
Public Law 96–296, Congress intended for the min-
4
imum insurance levels to maintain safety. According
5
to the House Report No. 96–1069, ‘‘the action of
6
the Committee in increasing financial responsibility
7
is to encourage the carriers to engage in practices
8
and procedures that will enhance the safety of their
9
equipment so as to afford the best protection to the
10
public.’’.
11
(2) The National Transportation Policy Study
12
Commission (which consisted of six Members of the
13
Senate, six Members of the House of Representa-
14
tives, and seven public members appointed by the
15
President) recommended mandatory minimum insur-
16
ance requirements of $1,000,000, in its 1979 Final
17
Report to the Congress, National Transportation
18
Policies through the Year 2000. The Report stated:
19
‘‘As an example, all certificated motor carriers oper-
20
ating upon the highways should be obligated to carry
21
adequate insurance (or proof of financial responsi-
22
bility equal to such insurance) to protect the public.
23
The insurance should cover public liability, property,
24
damage, cargo and environmental restoration with a
25
$1 million for single occurrence, or another min-
26
VerDate Sep 11 2014
21:50 Jul 25, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3781.IH
H3781
Pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
3
•HR 3781 IH
imum amount sufficient to require periodic ‘on site’
1
inspection by the insurance company, with the min-
2
imum to be updated regularly. Non-certificated
3
motor carriers should be subject to similar stand-
4
ards.’’.
5
(3) According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Sta-
6
tistics, the amount of $750,000, set in 1980 (the
7
year of enactment), would have the same purchasing
8
power as $4,923,153.29 in 2019, if the amount was
9
raised to account for medical-cost inflation.
10
SEC. 3. MINIMUM FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRANS-
11
PORTING PROPERTY.
12
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 31139(b) of title 49,
13
United States Code, is amended—
14
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘$750,000’’
15
and inserting ‘‘$4,923,154’’; and
16
(2) by adding at the end the following:
17
‘‘(3) ADJUSTMENT.—The Secretary, in con-
18
sultation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shall
19
adjust the minimum level of financial responsibility
20
under paragraph (2) quinquennially for inflation re-
21
lating to medical care.’’.
22
VerDate Sep 11 2014
21:50 Jul 25, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3781.IH
H3781
Pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
4
•HR 3781 IH
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
1
subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 1 year
2
after the date of enactment of this Act.
3
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014
21:50 Jul 25, 2019
Jkt 034408
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3781.IH
H3781
Pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS