The US House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voted on May 23 to pass numerous bills aimed at addressing ongoing supply chain challenges. The bills were supported by the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), which co-signed an Agricultural Transportation Working Group letter sent to the House Committee members on May 19.
“The bills passed through Committee will bring economic and environmental benefits to ag retailers who depend on rail, shipping, and truck transportation to continue operating in support of our nation’s farmers,” said ARA President and CEO Daren Coppock. “The success of the ag retail industry is dependent on a strong and efficient supply chain, which is why the issue of transportation and supply chain solutions has been a top priority for ARA.”
The slate of bills approved by the committee include H.R. 3399, the Soo Locks Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023; H.R. 1836, the Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act of 2023; H.R. 2367, the Truck Parking Improvement Act; H.R. 3013, the Licensing Individual Commercial Exam-takers Now Safely and Efficiently (LICENSE) Act of 2023; and H.R. 3318, which establishes a 10% axle weight variance for dry bulk.
Also included among the bills are H.R. 3316, which streamlines the environmental review process for major projects; H.R. 3365, the Supply Chain Improvement Act; H.R. 1500, the Intelligent Transportation Integration Act; H.R. 915, the Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act; H.R. 3317, the Rolling Stock Protection Act; H.R. 3372, establishing a safety data collection program for certain 6-axle vehicles; and H.R. 2948, the Carrying Automobiles Responsibly and Safely (CARS) Act.