According to Time magazine, a federal highway bill moving through congress would require mandatory breathalyzer ignition interlocks be placed on all cars belonging to DUI convicts. The interlocks would require the driver to pass a blood-alcohol level breath test before an equipped vehicle can be started. Currently several states require interlocks for citizens convicted of DUIs, while others require them only for repeat offenders. The highway bill would block federal infrastructure funds to any state that does not approve mandatory interlock laws. Mandatory interlocks have been a hotly–debated topic for some time, but few had expected the old highway-funding canard to be warmed up for the battle.

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Despite the backbiting and overextension engendered by round one of the Department of Energy’s retooling loans, another $25 billion could be headed down the pipe. Automotive News [sub] reports that a second dose of retooling loans (the first having launched our Bailout Watch series) is headed towards a vote this weekend. The DOE’s loan budget would be doubled under the current climate change bill sponsored by Reps Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Ed Markey (D-MA). But before Ford starts counting its (non-bailout) chickens, remember this: “no comparable bill has been introduced in the Senate, and similar legislation was shot down in the Senate last year.” And with luxury firms (Tesla), foreign transplants (Nissan) and the proudly bailout-free (Ford) topping the list of tranche un, don’t expect a groundswell of support for tranche deux.

The WSJ reports that the Treasury has turned down an $8-$10 billion request by the OEM Supplier Association for aid to struggling auto supply firms. Department of The Treasury spokesfolks refuse to shed any light on the issue, but OEMSA President Neil De Koker tells the WSJ that PTFOA member Ron Bloom spiked the request because “they felt that unless we see chaos or a disorderly situation arising where have assembly-line shutdown due to lack of ability to get parts or stuff like that, then we would relook at this sitation, but that at the present time we believe everything is working.” The Journal goes as far as to credit this with decision with signaling “that the Obama administration wants to draw the line on how much taxpayer money it will spend on the U.S. auto industry.” That, or they know that supplier bankruptcies have been part and parcel of the US car biz for years now, and they’re keeping the powder dry for future OEM requests.

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GM has bowed to political pressure, deciding that it won’t use taxpayer money to import compact vehicles from China. Instead, Aveo II (a.k.a. the Chevy Viva) will be built at one of three existing GM plants. (Hello, DOE retooling loans!) Up for the contract are Michigan’s Orion Township, Tennessee’s Spring Hill and Wisconsin’s Janesville assembly plants, and GM’s Troy Clarke is meeting with workers and unions from the three locales in order to determine the best site for Viva production. Oh, did I say workers and unions? I meant congressional delegations. Because, in the post Barney Frank-gate environment, “(GM’s choice is) going to be based on pure business decision,” according to Rep. Gary Peters (D-MI). Would Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI) like to clarify? “We’ve been in the front line of pain and we very much believe that one of the factors that should be taken into account is the impact of other decisions,” Levin tells the DetN. Gosh, that sounds almost . . . political. Hit the jump to find out which congressional delegation is most likely to build the new generation of GM compacts.

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Currently, there are numerous bills in Congress that relate to cars. So many, in fact, that it’s near impossible to keep track of them all. The fine folks at govtrack.us have developed some tools that are enabling TTAC to stay informed on just what’s happening on the Hill. We thought you’d want to know, too. We’re mainly concerned with the scrappage schemes proffered by our representatives, but we’re tracking any bill that has to do with cars or driving.

The list is long. Really long. And growing. But, just because a bill has been introduced doesn’t mean that it will become law. Most bills never make it out of committee and die at the end of session. As we reported earlier, regarding the cash-for-clunkers bill, “Assistant to the Speaker Van Hollen suggested a vote might not take place this year.”

Car-Related Bills in Congress