TRUE Safety Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``True Understanding of the Economy 
and Safety Act'' or the ``TRUE Safety Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the trucking industry is the backbone of the Nation's 
        economy, with nearly 7 million Americans working in trucking-
        related jobs, including more than 3 million commercial truck 
        drivers;
            (2) 80 percent of all communities in the United States 
        depend solely on trucks to deliver and supply their essential 
        everyday commodities;
            (3) Federal regulations governing the hours of service for 
        commercial truck drivers must be based on full and fair 
        scientific research, analysis, and operational testing;
            (4) the restart rule that became effective on July 1, 2013, 
        was based mainly on a one-month sleep study conducted in a 
        laboratory setting;
            (5) the new restart rule will cost the trucking industry up 
        to $376,000,000 annually, reducing productivity, impacting 
        driver pay, and increasing the cost to deliver goods; and
            (6) the restart rule should not have become effective prior 
        to completion of the thorough operational study required by 
        section 32301 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st 
        Century Act or MAP-21 (Public Law 112-141; 126 Stat. 786).

SEC. 3. GAO ASSESSMENTS.

    (a) Assessment of Methodology for MAP-21 Restart Study.--
            (1) In general.--After completion of the field study and 
        submission of the report regarding such study by the 
        Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
        Administration, required by section 32301 of MAP-21, the 
        Comptroller General shall conduct an assessment of the 
        methodology followed by the Secretary of Transportation in 
        carrying out the efficacy of the restart rule published on 
        December 27, 2011.
            (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the assessment shall be to 
        assess the extent to which the methodology meets the 
        requirement of MAP-21 that--
                    (A) the data collected is representative of the 
                drivers subject to the restart rule;
                    (B) the methodology is statistically valid; and
                    (C) the study followed the plan for the 
                ``Scheduling and Fatigue Recovery Project'' developed 
                by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
    (b) Assessment of Regulatory Impact Analysis.--
            (1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall conduct an 
        assessment of the Regulatory Impact Analysis that accompanied 
        the final rule published by the Department of Transportation in 
        the Federal Register on December 27, 2011, entitled ``Hours of 
        Service of Drivers'' (76 Fed. Reg. 81134).
            (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the GAO assessment shall be--
                    (A) to conduct an analysis of the methodology and 
                data used by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
                Administration in its Regulatory Impact Analysis;
                    (B) to evaluate the validity and representativeness 
                of the driver data used to evaluate the operational and 
                economic impacts of the new 34-hour restart rule 
                applicable to operators of commercial motor vehicles;
                    (C) to conduct an analysis of the data and 
                methodology used to develop the proposed safety and 
                health benefits of the new 34-hour restart rule 
                applicable to operators of commercial motor vehicles;
                    (D) to review the safety, health, cost, and 
                operational implications of the restart rule, and the 
                potential impact of a greater number of commercial 
                motor vehicles on major roads during ``morning 
                commutes'' as a result of the restart rule; and
                    (E) review the research used in developing and 
                justifying the new restart rule, particularly as it 
                relates to the use of a laboratory test to justify the 
                rule rather than an operational test in the field.
    (c) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a final report to the 
appropriate committees of Congress on the assessments required under 
subsections (a) and (b), including any recommendations.

SEC. 4. DELAY IN APPLICATION OF RULE.

    (a) Delay in Application of Rule.--Effective as of the date of 
enactment of this Act, the restart rule published by the Department of 
Transportation in the Federal Register on December 27, 2011, shall have 
no force or effect until 6 months after the study report required by 
this Act has been submitted to Congress.
    (b) Application of Previous Rule Provision.--For the period 
specified under subsection (a), the 34-hour restart rule issued on 
April 28, 2003 (68 Fed. Reg. 22456), shall be in effect.
    (c) December 2011 Rule.--The Secretary shall not apply the rule 
described in subsection (a) if the conclusions of the operational study 
completed pursuant to MAP-21 do not support or concur with the 
conclusions of the laboratory study on which the rule was based.

Summary: True Understanding of the Economy and Safety Act or TRUE Safety Act - Directs the Comptroller General (GAO), after the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports to Congress on an hours of service field study, to assess the methodology followed by the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) in carrying out the efficacy of the restart rule (&quot;Hours of Service of Drivers&quot;) published on December 27, 2011, which applies to operators of commercial motor vehicles of property subject to maximum DOT driving time requirements. Requires the assessment to evaluate the extent to which that methodology meets the requirements of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) that: (1) the data collected is representative of the drivers subject to the restart rule, (2) the methodology is statistically valid, and (3) the study followed the FMCSA plan for the &quot;Scheduling and Fatigue Recovery Project.&quot; Directs GAO to assess the Regulatory Impact Analysis that accompanied the final 2011 restart rule. Nullifies the 2011 restart rule until six months after the study report required by this Act has been submitted to Congress.  Prohibits the Secretary from applying the restart rule if the conclusions of the field study completed pursuant to MAP-21 do not support or concur with the conclusions of the laboratory study on which the rule was based.