Following quick passage by Congress earlier this month, President Obama has signed legislation allowing for the expedited delivery of propane and heating fuel through May 31.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster, R-Penn. introduced the Heating Emergency Assistance Through Transportation Act of 2014 in late February, due to propane shortages from the colder-than-normal winter.

H.R. 4076 passed both the House and the Senate with overwhelming support, extending any Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours of service exemption issued after Feb. 5, related to the delivery of propane for home heating.

 “It may officially be spring, but with the potential for freezing temperatures and snow already back in the forecast, there is still a serious demand for these fuels,” said Shuster. “We need emergency measures that will last until the warm weather returns, and today we are delivering that certainty. I was pleased to see my bill signed into law, and to know that we are doing all we can to bring relief to the homes and businesses of Central and Southwestern Pennsylvania.”

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration earlier issued temporary emergency waivers allowing truckers delivering propane and other home heating fuels to drive for longer hours than federal law allows, to speed up deliveries to the affected states, however, they were good only for 30 days at a time, creating uncertainty and limited relief. 

The law allows. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to cancel the emergency relief before May 31^st if he determines a fuel shortage no longer exists.