The 119th Congress has officially kicked off, creating a clean legislative slate for new and returning Senators and Representatives.
Over the next two years, lawmakers are expected to tackle key challenges ranging from taxes and tariffs to energy, environment, labor, and infrastructure. The Senate will also need to move swiftly to fulfill its constitutional advise and consent role and approve President Trump’s nominees to lead key government agencies.
On behalf of the 8.5 million hardworking men and women employed in trucking in every congressional district, the American Trucking Associations is urging elected leaders to leverage each of these opportunities to support the trucking industry and, by extension, strengthen the U.S. economy.
Confirmation Battles
ATA is closely following the confirmation process and has expressed strong support for former Congressman Sean Duffy to serve as Secretary of the Department of Transportation and former Congressman Lee Zeldin to serve as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The confirmation hearings for both nominees are scheduled for January 15th. ATA will also be active in pushing to fill less high-profile but equally important posts with leaders who understand trucking issues and are willing to listen to the industry.
These positions are critical to the continuity of the supply chain. Mr. Duffy’s expertise and steady management at DOT will be necessary to ensure an uninterrupted flow of investments in roads, bridges and truck parking that enhance the safety and efficiency of our transportation network. Additionally, Congress will be writing a surface transportation reauthorization bill in the 119th Congress, and Mr. Duffy’s guidance throughout that process will be essential. At the EPA, ATA is looking forward to partnering with Mr. Zeldin to roll back unachievable emissions mandates; revoke California’s waivers; develop commonsense, nationwide standards; and refocus federal efforts on practical, market-driven solutions.
Tax
With key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the verge of expiring, the debate on tax reform will undoubtedly top this year’s agenda. Enacting permanent, pro-growth tax policies that reward hard work and entrepreneurship is vitally important to trucking businesses ranging from owner-operators and family-owned businesses to large fleets.
ATA recently sent a letter to Congress’ revenue committees to make the case for building on the progress made by TCJA; repealing the onerous, century-old 12% federal excise tax on heavy-duty trucks and trailers; and using the tax code to promote renewable fuels and workforce development. The full letter can be read below.
Infrastructure & Supply Chain Solutions
Congestion
Despite the historic investments in our roads and bridges under the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, congestion on our roadways continues to take a toll, costing the trucking industry a record $108 billion in 2022. Americans need Congress to focus on investing in infrastructure to eliminate bottlenecks and promote efficiency, as well as identify long-term funding solutions for the Highway Trust Fund paid for equitably by all road users.
Credentialing
Following the successful passage of the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act, Congress should continue to pursue legislative solutions to streamline rules on credentialing. That includes making it easier for qualified individuals to seek and obtain commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).
Truck Parking
Once on the road, all drivers should have access to safe truck parking and access to restrooms – neither of which is currently guaranteed. There is only one truck parking spot for every eleven trucks on the road today, which means drivers have to spend hours each week seeking a safe place to park. Additionally, setting standards for bathroom access is a mark of respect for truckers and will help with driver recruitment and retention efforts.
Safety
ATA looks forward to working with Congress to ensure that changes to federal motor carrier safety regulations are grounded in science and data with reasonable timelines for implementation. The ongoing legalization of marijuana nationwide is creating an urgent need to improve testing for usage and impairment.
Workforce
Training
The trucking industry will need to hire roughly 1.2 million new drivers in the next decade to keep pace with growing demand and to replace an aging workforce. The ongoing shortage of diesel technicians – 41,000 were needed in 2022 – creates further challenges.
ATA supports efforts to increase flexibility for tax-advantaged 529 plans to be used for licensing and credentialing programs to enter the skilled trades. ATA also supports opening career pathways that are currently closed due to outdated regulatory barriers – such as prohibiting 18-to-20-year-olds from driving trucks in interstate commerce.
Independent contractors
Congress must protect the 350,000 truckers who choose to work as independent contractors, enabling them to run their own businesses and enjoy the economic opportunity and flexibility of being their own employer.
Energy & Environment
Trucking is proud of its decades-long efforts to reduce emissions while meeting America’s growing freight needs. It takes 60 of today’s clean-diesel trucks to produce the emissions of a single truck built in 1988. While exciting new technologies offer the promise of further reductions, our nation’s path forward on zero-emissions vehicles requires time for infrastructure to be built out and for the trucking market to mature to support the next generation of vehicles.
Legal & Criminal Challenges
Lawsuit abuse
Lawsuit abuse is an existential threat to independent truckers as well as motor carriers and their employees. Protracted legal battles and nuclear verdicts drive costs higher for carriers and consumers alike. ATA encourages Congress to pass legislation to establish criminal penalties for dangerous staged highway accidents involving commercial vehicles, give federal courts jurisdiction over cases exceeding $5 million in damages to prevent “jurisdiction shopping,” and require the disclosure of third-party financing firms to give jurors full transparency about who is involved in the litigation.
Cargo theft
The trucking industry has also become a target for cargo theft and fraud in the supply chain. The average value of each stolen shipment is over $280,000, leading to an estimated $15 to $35 billion in losses annually. ATA is calling on Congress to enact legislation to create a joint task force between Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI to coordinate information sharing with the goal of detecting, disrupting, and deterring cargo theft.
Closing Thoughts
During the 118th Congress, ATA partnered with our champions in Congress to break through partisan gridlock and achieve a number of notable victories for our members. Over the next two years, we look forward to finding common ground on pro-trucking solutions that will help us continue to grow our economy, safeguard our supply chains, and sustain and create good-paying jobs for millions of hardworking Americans.