Agricultural News
Congressman Lucas Introduces Legislation to Alleviate Supply Chain Congestion
Tue, 16 Nov 2021 11:08:22 CST
Recently, Congressman Frank Lucas joined in introducing the Truckers Responding At National Shipping Ports Overcoming Retail Turmoil (TRANSPORT) Act, sponsored by Congressman Tracey Mann. The legislation would require the Secretary of Transportation to relieve congested ports during either a national state of emergency or when ports are congested by 50% or more.
"Our nation is facing detrimental supply chain challenges and Americans are paying the price. Slowed global production, pent-up economic demand, and multi-sector labor shortages are fueling the supply chain crisis leaving billions of dollars' worth of goods sitting idly on cargo ships or stuck in backed-up ports," Lucas said. "With inflation rising, Congress and the Administration must help alleviate the supply chain logjam and remove burdensome regulations standing in the way of that solution. I'm proud to cosponsor Congressman Mann's TRANSPORT Act, which would ease the bottleneck pressure in our supply chains and help our economy and businesses return to normal operation."
The TRANSPORT Act would require the Secretary of Transportation to issue federal grants from unused relief dollars to motor carriers to transport goods from a port of entry to a destination point. It would also temporarily waive operating standards should those standards be more stringent than the federal standard, allowing U.S. Department of Transportation compliant trucks and drivers from other states to relieve ports and transport goods across the country.
"I've heard from Kansas farmers and truck drivers who are prepared to drive to California and collect goods because they understand the looming catastrophic results of congestion continuing at our ports," Mann said. "If we have truckers who are willing and able to drive across the country to secure and distribute goods that are backed up at ports in other states, the government should remove any red tape standing in the way of that solution. Implementing the TRANSPORT Act is a step towards solving the supply chain crisis, giving Americans the ability to help themselves and their neighbors, and making America's economy strong again."
Click here to view the full text of the legislation.
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