TRENTON (AP) ― Saturday is the last day that New Jersey will inspect motor vehicles for mechanical problems.
Inspection stations will just check emissions on vehicles five years or older starting Monday. Motor Vehicle Commission administrator Raymond Martinez says the changes will save the state about $17 million. Most of the savings come from scrapping 2.4 million mechanical inspections and re-inspections performed each year and by shifting new car emissions testing back a year.
School buses, limousines, jitneys, taxis and other commercial-plated vehicles will still be checked for emissions and mechanical defects. New Jersey will become the 30th state that doesn’t look for bald tires, worn brakes, non-working lights and turn signals, and cracked windshields.
House Republicans late Thursday were able to corral enough votes to defeat a bill that would have provided up to $7.4 billion in aid to those sickened by toxins resulting from the 9/11 attacks.
In the process, they set off a host of fiery speeches and denunciations from their Democratic colleagues and produced a veritable YouTube moment from Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y), whose district includes many of the affected.
At the heart of the debate was a procedural maneuver made by Democrats to suspend the rules before consideration of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The move allowed leadership to block potential GOP amendments to the measure (there was worry that Republicans would attach something overtly partisan in hopes that it could pass on the otherwise widely-popular measure). It also meant that the party needed a two-thirds majority vote.
When the final tally was announced, there were 255 representatives for the measure, 159 against. The defeat of the bill, which would have provided free health care to those affected during the 9/11 rescue and recovery, likely means that the court system will have to settle compensation issues.
Weiner spoke right before the vote when it was clear that Republican lawmakers would stake their opposition on grounds of procedural concerns. But for the grace of the C-SPAN cameras, he managed to stay physically behind his lectern.
“The gentleman will sit!” he declared at one point, addressing, it is believed, Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.). “The gentleman is correct in sitting!”
By the way, for Montgomery County residents: Your nice “moderate” Republican Jim Gerlach voted against this bill. You might want to let him know how you feel about that.
The Republicans have been bashing the Dems for not pushing this bill, and now that it’s on the floor, they’re blocking it:
WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans have blocked a bill to increase small business lending, dealing a setback to President Barack Obama’s jobs agenda.
The bill would have created a $30 billion government fund to help community banks increase lending to small businesses, combining it with about $12 billion in tax breaks aimed at small businesses. Some Republicans, however, likened it to the unpopular bailout of the financial industry.
Democrats and Republicans will continue to negotiate amendments to the bill. But Thursday’s vote will make it difficult for Congress to pass the bill before lawmakers go on their summer vacation.
