<p>By Christine Pollack, Vice President, Government Relations, FMI </p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/tractor-trailer.tmb-large-350-.jpeg?sfvrsn=4a5ac99_1" style="margin-bottom:5px;float:right;margin-left:5px;" alt="Tractor Trailer" class="-align-right" sf-size="100" /><p>Is it too soon to say… “on the bright side,” supply chain challenges is a term now squarely in the lexicon of Americans because of the last few years?
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</p><p>Maybe “bright side” is not the best descriptor. Maybe we use “a break in the clouds” instead. Well, either way, there is a heightened understanding that supply chain challenges effect every facet of American life. This understanding
actually helps as we advocate for legislative efforts in Congress to improve the flow of goods. </p><p>And in terms of legislative efforts in Congress to improve our nation’s supply chain, we have bright side news to report. Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to address a persistent supply chain challenge
for the food industry – the trucker workforce shortage.
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</p><p>The <i>Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking Act</i>, known simply as the SHIP IT Act (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/471?s=1&r=1&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22HR+471%22%5D%7D">H.R. 471</a>),
was introduced by Congressmen <a href="https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-costa-lead-bill-improve-supply-chain">Dusty Johnson</a> (R-SD) and <a href="https://costa.house.gov/media/press-releases/costa-johnson-lead-bill-tackle-trucker-shortage-and-boost-supply-chain">Jim Costa</a> (D-CA) to improve supply chains.
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</p><p>FMI endorsed the bipartisan <a href="https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/dustyjohnson.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/ship-it-act.pdf">SHIP IT Act</a>. It bolsters the trucking profession through the availability of workforce grants and
tax credits and streamlines the commercial driver’s license (CDL) process. The bill also improves truck parking and rest facilities and modernizes the waiver process during disease and supply chain emergencies. </p><p>We’re optimistic that the Senate companion to this House bill will be introduced soon and the legislation can be considered in Congress this year. To make this all a reality, we need your <a href="https://p2a.co/h5QR4L6">help</a>.
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</p><p>FMI has activated a <a href="https://p2a.co/h5QR4L6">grassroots message</a> to make it very easy to send emails of support for the SHIP IT Act directly to your Senators and Representatives. Click on the link <a href="https://p2a.co/h5QR4L6">here</a>,
fill in your contact information and hit send. The message simply asks that Senators and Representatives cosponsor the <a href="https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/dustyjohnson.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/ship-it-act.pdf">legislation</a>.
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</p><p>Another bright side news of note is that FMI recently joined the ranks of the <a href="https://www.shipperscoalition.org/">Shippers Coalition</a>, a multi-industry stakeholder effort to improve supply chains. The Shippers Coalition is spearheading advocacy
efforts on the SHIP IT Act. </p><p>We hope to have more bright side news to report as this new session of Congress progresses. Thank you for your help in advocating for the SHIP IT Act! </p><p><a href="https://p2a.co/h5QR4L6" class="button">Tell Congress to Cosponsor the SHIP IT Act!</a></p>
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