A single sentence buried in a sprawling federal highway bill offered one of the most direct challenges yet to the spread of automated license plate readers across American streets. The amendment would have barred any state or local government accepting Title 23 highway funds from using the devices for anything except collecting tolls. Its quiet defeat last week in a House committee reveals much about the entrenched interests, privacy fears and law enforcement priorities now colliding over this surveillance technology. Rep. Scott Perry, a Pennsylvania Republican and Freedom Caucus member, joined Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, a progressive Democrat from Illinois, to propose the measure. They submitted it as Amendment 221 to the $580 billion BUILD America 250 Act during a marathon markup by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The vote came on May 21, 2026. It failed 20 yeas to 44 nays.…