National Tank Truck Carriers reaffirmed its position on eliminating duplicative background checks for truck drivers ahead of a key Sept. 11 hearing in a letter to leadership in the House Committee on Homeland Security.
A Senate committee advanced the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act (H.R. 5840)—which would eliminate redundant fees and background checks for essential transportation workers—in July. Now NTTC is urging the Homeland Security committee led by Rep. Mark Green (R-Tennessee) and Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) to allow the bill’s Senate companion (S. 3959) to be considered as an amendment H.R. 5840, which is designed to relieve a heavy burden on essential supply chain workers.
“The Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act aims to resolve these issues by streamlining programs that require the same background check, enabling individuals to apply for multiple security threat assessment programs simultaneously under a reduced fee structure,” Ryan Streblow, NTTC president and CEO, wrote in the Sept. 3 letter to Green, the committee chair, and Thompson, the ranking member.
NTTC calls the legislation a “common-sense solution with tangible benefits to the American supply chain, and therefore the public at large.” The letter further states that “tremendous” bipartisan support in the Senate affirms this position after the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, led by led by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), voiced unanimous support for the bill.
“The momentum of Congressional bipartisan support is high, and to ensure swift passage this year to provide relief to our trucking industry, NTTC encourages the allowance of S. 3959 to be considered as an amendment to H.R. 5840 without edits,” Streblow wrote. “With this allowance, coupled with your committee leadership, the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act will be passed and signed into law.”