WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) took major action to address the ongoing supply chain crisis, introducing five pieces of legislation to reduce burdensome regulations on truck drivers and pushing Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on his failure to take meaningful steps to repair the supply chain.

For over two years, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has waived certain requirements under the guise of the COVID-19 public health emergency, demonstrating the needlessness of the standards.  In a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hearing with Secretary Buttigieg, Rep. Mast demanded answers on the double standards and outrageous requirements imposed on truckers.  You can watch the full exchange here

“For almost a year, families have struggled to get the items that they need from refrigerators to baby formula.  It should not be that way in America,” Rep. Mast said.  “This is the most efficient economy in the world, and only when the government gets in the way do private companies get stuck.  Today, it became clear that the Administration has no plan to get America moving, and so I’m introducing five bills that will force them into action to cut red tape and let truckers drive.” 

Rep. Mast introduced five bills, all of which will undo unnecessary regulations and taxes imposed on truck drivers: 

  • H.R. 8411: This bill would extend the permissible length of a semitrailer from 28 to 33 feet so that trucks can transport additional goods. 

  • H.R. 8412: This bill would increase the permissible weight of a semitrailer from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds to increase the amount of goods that can be transported at once. 

  • H.R. 8414: This bill would repeal the current diesel fuel excise tax of 24.3 cents per gallon, which is ultimately paid by consumers, to lower the overall cost of goods. 

  • H.R. 8413: This bill would repeal the 12 percent federal tax on chassis, the base frame of a semi truck, to lower the cost of entry for aspiring truckers and get more trucks on the road. 

  • H.R. 8417: This bill would permanently repeal a DOT regulation restricting the number of hours truckers are allowed to drive.  During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, DOT temporarily rescinded this regulation, proving that it is unnecessary.  

These bills build on Rep. Mast’s legislation, H.R. 5847, that would ease supply chain bottlenecks by expanding the number of drivers eligible to pick up goods at a port and transport those goods to an endpoint within the same state.  

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