Fly-In

JOINT FLY-IN EVENT A HUGE SUCCESS

ASET, along with the AgTEC and CTP coalitions, recently held a joint fly-in event in Washington DC to lobby in favor of HR 1799 - the "Safe & Efficient Transportation Act."

Over 80 participants took to the halls of Congress to educate, lobby, and discuss the vital transportation issue of trucking productivity. On the House side, groups met with individual Members of Congress and staff to urge their support of HR 1799 and to ask for cosponsorship. We have had some immediate success in adding former House Transportation & Infrastructure Chairman Don Young (R-AK), Congressman Marion Berry (D-AR), and Congressman Jeff Miller (R-FL).

On the Senate side, participants asked for staff and individual Senators to support the effort generally and also to introduce companion legislation in their Chamber. Happily, we received a strong indication from a Senator who serves on the committee of jurisdiction over truck weights, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, that he will in fact introduce legislation in the next few weeks. Once that is official, ASET will send out an announcement to all its members and interested parties.

Having such a strong showing in the dead of a VERY cold and snowy winter truly made an impact on congressional offices who must decide key issues such as truck weights in the upcoming congressional reauthorization bill. The fact that this issue continues to be brought before Members of Congress and staff makes it much more likely that it will have to be addressed in committee. ASET feels strongly that if the language within HR 1799 is thoroughly discussed, debated, and the facts are used to guide policy rather than misinformation or the use of fear and emotion, we will see productivity legislation enacted when Congress ultimately passes a highway reauthorization bill.