BACKGROUND: This legislation would eliminate the federally imposed speed limit of 55 miles per hour (65 on rural interstates) and allow states to choose their own highway speed limits. The federal speed limit of 55 miles per hour was enacted in 1974 a fuel-saving method during the oil embargo by Arab countries. The House bill also eliminates a penalty on states that do not adopt motorcycle helmet laws.

STATUS: The House approved the National Highway System Designation Act of 1996, a bill that funds and regulates the national highway system by a vote of 419-7 on Sept 20. The Senate passed similar legislation in June.

KEY PLAYERS: Rep. Nick J. Rahall II (D-WV) led the effort to maintain federal limits. Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK) is the major Senate proponent of abolishing them.

PRO: States should be able to decide for themselves what limits to set for their own roads, not Washington politicians who may have never seen most of the roads they affect. Furthermore, in many places current speed limits are unrealistic, and largely ignored by drivers.

"There is not a lot of commonality between the roads in New York and Texas, or New Jersey and Oklahoma. There is quite a lot of difference in density, in topography, and the quality of the roads themselves ... We are not raising the speed limit today ... we are giving the states the opportunity to decide for themsleves what is in their best interests." -- Rep. Bill Brewster (R-OK)

CON: One of the federal government's chief mandates is to ensure public safety. Studies have shown that high speed driving is more dangerous, and accidents at higher speeds are more likely to cause fatalities.

"[Ending the speed limit] would turn our nation's highways into killing fields. It should be obvious that the death toll will rise once the states begin increasing the speed limits ... this is not a matter of states' rights, it's a matter of human rights." -- Rep. Nick J. Rahall II (D-WV)

WHAT'S NEXT: The House and Senate bills go to conference. Since the two sides are essentially in agreement on abolishing the limit, it is likely to be passed out of both chambers in a final bill for the President to sign.

INSIDE SCOOP: Yet another measure epitomizing the guiding principle of the new Republican majority in Congress: limiting Washington's influence and returning power to the state government level. Cynics may note that oil interests in states like Nickles' stand to profit from increased quantities of gasoline that are be burned at higher speeds.