Weekly Legislative Update
October 25, 2021

Infrastructure Funding

When President Biden proposed a major infrastructure bill of $1.2 trillion, a number of proposals circulated on Capitol Hill as to how to pay for this much needed legislation.

TIA has been on record to oppose unreasonable and unfair proposals that would:

• reinstate the Federal Excise Tax (FET) on passenger tires;
• reinstate the FET on tread rubber used in the retread process;
• raise the FET on tread rubber;
• increase the FET on truck tires;
• raise the FET on trucks and truck parts;
• adopt a vehicle miles traveled tax;
• raise the tax on motor fuel;
• privatize up to 47,000 miles of the interstate system (resulting in new or higher tolls);
• repeal the Last In First Out accounting system with the one-time hit of over $107 billion going towards the infrastructure funding.

President Biden recently announced that he does not support increasing current industry excise taxes to remain consistent with his pledge not to raise taxes on motorists earning less than $400,000 per year. Rather than raising excise taxes, the President proposed the following $519 billion in spending payfors:

• $53 billion from certain states’ unused enhanced federal UI supplements (Source: CBO estimate)
• $67 billion in unused savings from the COVID-19 employer retention tax credit that CBO projected would be utilized and were not, minus the impact of sunsetting the credit (CBO letter)
• $106 billion in unused savings from COVID-19 paid & family leave tax credits that CBO projected would be utilized and were not (CBO letter)
• $51 billion from delaying Medicare Part D rebate rule (Source: CBO score)
• $21.4 billion in rescissions in unused funding from 2020 COVID bills (Source: CBO score)
• $10.2 billion from sales of future spectrum auctions (Source: CBO score)
• $67 billion from proceeds of the February 2021 c-band auction (Source: CBO estimate)
• $53 billion in economic growth resulting from a 33 percent return on investment in these long-term infrastructure projects (Source: CBO analysis)
• $28 billion from clarifying the application of information reporting requirements for cryptocurrency (Source: JCT score)
• $21 billion from extending fees on GSEs (Source: CBO score)
• $14.5 billion from reinstating certain Superfund fees (Source: JCT score)
• $8.7 billion from extending the mandatory sequester (Source: CBO score)
• $6.1 billion in sales from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (Source: CBO score)
• $6.1 billion from extending customs user fees (Source: CBO score)
• $3.2 billion in savings from reducing Medicare spending on discarded medications from large, single-use drug vials (Source: CBO score)
• $2.9 billion from extending available interest rate smoothing options for defined benefit pension plans (Source: JCT score)

On November 1st at the TIA Annual Membership Meeting, TIA members will consider a proposed resolution to support this approach.

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TIA Exploring Defect Issue: Hyundai and Kia

From: Joanna Johnson, AOCA (Automotive Oil Change Association) Policy Advisor

Regarding all of the following listed Hyundai and Kia models, have any TIA members experienced a customer’s dealership claiming an engine seizure was caused by the oil drain plug falling out mid-interval i.e., 1,000 – 8,000 miles post-aftermarket service?

AOCA is in the process of developing a NHTSA defect petition and related MMWA complaint to the FTC. Please report confidentially to TIA or AOCA by VIN, city/state, mileage between service and allegation of plug-out, and the result of any aftermarket inspection of the alleged plug-out engine.

We cannot use any case that does not provide a complete VIN. Consumer complaints to NHTSA and aftermarket professionals’ experience with inspecting these alleged plug-out engines thus far indicates some of the cases are actually rod punctures.

BACKGROUND: Hyundai and Kia have issued an extensive patchwork of recalls and/or TSBs for all the listed models—Theta, Nu & Gamma engines alike—on the subjects of excessive oil consumption and/or rod bearing problems that can ultimately cause engine seizure, including after a rod punctures the engine block. The discovery of this nearly make-wide defect and the automakers’ attempts to manage it came from studying a bizarre recent trend of mid-interval plug-out claims made by Hyundai and Kia dealerships nationwide in situations where specification parts and torque pressure had been used and could be verified. There may also be another defect associated with the factory oil drain pan assembly being made of cheap stamped steel and painted so that the factory gasket and plug are painted together onto the pan, thereby camouflaging the gasket and creating a risk of double-gasketing. The factory gasket appears to be plastic and must be pried off.

KIA VEHICLES

HYUNDAI VEHICLES

Please contact: rlittlefield2@tireindustry.org if you have experienced this issue.

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Join TIA for Top Golf in Vegas!

For the first time, TIA has organized a golf outing at TopGolf Las Vegas to benefit TIA’s government affairs efforts. Join us for a fun-filled afternoon of golf, laughter, and networking for a worthy cause before the GTE show at Top Golf.

There is no pressure – whether you are an avid golfer or have never swung a club, TopGolf is the spot for you. There are many things to do in Las Vegas, there are plenty of places to go to – but if you are looking for a truly unique experience, look no further than TopGolf.

The cost is $150 Per Golfer and registration includes 2 hours of golf and refreshments in a private bay. The fun-filled day will include reserved bays, two-hours of golf, and refreshments.

The event will take place on October 31st, 2021 from 2-4 pm at 4627 Koval Ln, Las Vegas, NV 89109. TopGolf is located behind the MGM Grand and is a short walk from the strip. There is also plenty of parking available at the complex.

We hope you can spend the afternoon with us networking with industry professionals while enjoying some golf and appetizers for a good cause to support the association.

We also have sponsorship opportunities available for this event. For more information and to RSVP contact me at rlittlefield2@tireindustry.org

CLICK HERE for a registration form.

CLICK HERE for a sponsorship form.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS SO FAR: