The U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committee recently unveiled the fiscal year 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill, the legislation that will provide discretionary funding for the vast majority of the federal government for the current fiscal year. The bill includes full Appropriations legislation and funding for 11 of the 12 annual Appropriations bills through the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30, 2015. The 12th bill, which funds the Department of Homeland Security, is also included in the legislation, but is funded under a temporary “Continuing Resolution” mechanism that expires Feb. 27, 2015

The bill includes a provision that would suspend the Hours of Service restrictions imposed on truck drivers using the 34-hour restart: requiring two periods between 1 and 5 a.m. and arbitrarily limiting the use of the restart to once per week. The language, authored by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), would suspend and study the effects of those restrictions for one year.

The bill now moves to a vote from the House and Senate. Stay tuned for updates.