ATA Educates House Judiciary on 3rd-Party Litigation Financing Challenges
Last Tuesday, a panel led by ATA Chairman Greg Hodgen spoke at a House Judiciary Committee roundtable on the challenges that third-party litigation financing is creating for the trucking industry. Joining Hodgen were Ben Greenberg of the North Carolina Trucking Association, Nathan Meisgeier of Werner Enterprises, Adam Deckinger of Tyson Foods, Jim Frank of Sentry Insurance, and Pam Bracher of ATA.
The roundtable was a successful event, where the participants were able to engage with members of the House Judiciary Committee to explain how third-party financing of litigation against the trucking industry is unfairly driving up costs for motor carriers of all sizes and, as a result, increasing costs for American consumers. The roundtable is an important milestone in ATA’s ongoing efforts to advance legislation that will require mandatory disclosure of third-party litigation financing arrangements in civil litigation.
ATA Lays Groundwork for CORCA and Key Priorities in NDAA
Last Tuesday, the FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) failed to garner the necessary 60 votes to proceed to debate in the Senate. Sticking points include further hostilities against Iran without Congressional approval as well as the overall requested spending level of $1.15 trillion.
The NDAA has passed Congress for 65 consecutive years and will likely be one of the final pieces of legislation in the 119th Congress. ATA is working hard to ensure that the final omnibus bill will include key trucking priorities such as the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) and legislation to prohibit and limit the import of Chinese connected vehicle technologies.
Senate HELP Holds Hearing on Sonderling Nomination to Lead DOL
Last Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing to consider the nomination of Keith Sonderling to serve as the next Secretary of Labor. Sonderling was previously confirmed by the Senate in March 2025 to serve as Deputy Secretary of Labor.
ATA strongly supports his nomination and submitted a letter to the Committee encouraging his swift confirmation. The letter of support noted that Sonderling possesses the deep workforce expertise, strong policy judgment, and agency management experience that is vitally important to ensuring steady, thoughtful leadership of DOL. The Committee will meet on Thursday morning to vote on his nomination.
Connected Vehicles Legislation Set for Senate Commerce Consideration
This week, the Senate Commerce Committee plans to consider the Connected Vehicles Security Act, sponsored by Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). This bill would prohibit the importation of Chinese connected vehicle hardware and software to protect national security and American innovations in these spaces. ATA has worked closely with the bill’s sponsors to ensure that the unique needs of heavy-duty truck manufacturers are addressed separately from the concerns that primarily impact passenger and light-duty vehicles. ATA will continue these efforts to improve and advance a measure that promotes national security for our truck manufacturing supply chains.
ATA Priorities Advance in House Energy & Commerce Committee
Last Thursday, the House Energy & Commerce Environment Subcommittee approved a slate of bills for full committee consideration. Among the measures with bipartisan support is a proposed Diesel Emissions Reduction Act reauthorization, which is sponsored by Reps. Matsui (D-CA) and Calvert (R-CA). ATA strongly supports reauthorizing this program, which funds the replacement of old, polluting diesel equipment with new, cleaner models.
Also approved in the subcommittee markup were bills that would address bus idling restrictions and citizen bounty programs in New York City, as well as address needed statutory reforms for diesel emissions fluid (DEF) requirements for heavy-duty vehicles. ATA is actively engaging the Committee on these proposals and will work to ensure that the needs of the trucking industry are met in legislation that is sent to the House floor.
House Republicans Seek Path for Reconciliation 3.0
Last week, the House Budget Committee approved a budget resolution that would provide $95 billion in deficit spending for the war in Iran ($73 billion), aid to farmers ($12 billion), and efforts to prevent voting fraud ($10 billion). The bill does not include any proposals for changes to tax revenues, which potentially would have been a vehicle for key ATA priorities.
House Republican Leadership is seeking to advance these party-line priorities to the President’s desk but will face stiff resistance from fiscal conservatives in the House. Should this proposal advance, the budget resolution would set up conflicts with the Senate Parliamentarian and moderate Senate Republicans.
ATA will work closely with champions of the trucking industry in both the House and Senate to advance trucking priorities on any legislation that can pass Congress in 2026.
Election Update
The most recent primary elections were held on June 30th in Colorado. Sen. Michael Bennet was soundly defeated in the Democratic gubernatorial primary by the current Attorney General Phil Weiser. Meanwhile, Sen. John Hickenlooper successfully fended off a strong progressive challenger. Democrats expect to retain both the governorship and the Senate seat in this fall’s general election. Sen. Bennet will next decide whether to run for reelection to the U.S. Senate in the 2028 election cycle.
The next state primary elections will be held in Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Washington on August 4th.
Committee Notes
- Tomorrow, the House Education & Workforce Committee will mark up legislation under its jurisdiction. The list of bills to be considered includes H.R. 5267, the American Franchise Act. ATA strongly supports advancing a similar piece of legislation, H.R. 4366, the Save Our Local Businesses Act, which would provide a clear definition of joint employer for the trucking industry. The ATA-supported bill passed the Committee last July and is awaiting consideration on the House floor.
- Last Thursday, the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing to consider the nomination of David Cummins to lead the Transportation Security Administration. The Committee also postponed a legislative markup to next week that will consider bills including the Connected Vehicle Security Act as well as nominations.
- Last Tuesday, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee marked up and approved a bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) reauthorization.
- Last Wednesday, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held its own markup of a bipartisan WRDA bill. The Committee continues to work on bipartisan proposals for permitting reform and investing in our nation’s roads and bridges.
- The Senate Finance Committee announced that it will hold a hearing this Wednesday featuring testimony from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on President Trump’s 2026 trade policy agenda.
- Today and Tuesday, the House Energy & Commerce Committee will hold full Committee markups on energy and healthcare legislation. Measures approved by the Environment Subcommittee will be considered at a later date.
Grassroots Update
Last week, the ATA Women In Motion Council held its annual Call on Washington. Thirty-two women trucking leaders from 14 states met with key lawmakers and congressional staff to discuss policies that will strengthen the supply chain, support truck drivers, and improve the industry’s ability to attract and retain talent. In addition to dozens of one-on-one conversations with lawmakers, the group also received an FMCSA regulatory update from FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs and reconnected with Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling.
Following advocacy from the LEAD ATA and the Iowa Motor Truck Association, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) joined as the 48th cosponsor of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act. Interested in engaging with your Senators on CORCA? Please click this link to send a letter to your Senators asking for their continued support.
ATA’s Call on Washington program will continue this week as the Georgia Motor Truck Association visits Capitol Hill.
Interested in participating in Call on Washington or hosting a truck terminal visit with your Member of Congress? Email Abbey Schroeder (aschroeder@trucking.org).
The Week Ahead
The House and Senate are in session this week. The next Hill Report will be sent on July 27th.