WASHINGTON — A national trucking association is counting a House subcommittee’s push of a funding bill as a win.
According to a recent press release, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) commended the House Labor Appropriations Subcommittee, led by Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-Alabama), for voting to advance a funding bill that would prohibit the Department of Labor from implementing the Biden administration’s independent contractor rule.
“When the U.S. Department of Labor replaced a straightforward definition for independent contractors with an opaque and deliberately confusing standard, it jeopardized the livelihoods of independent truckers nationwide who have spent years or even decades building their own small businesses,” said ATA President & CEO Chris Spear. “By halting the implementation of this destructive rule, the provision included in the House Labor Appropriations bill would respect the wishes of more than 350,000 truckers who select this employment path because of the economic opportunity it creates and the flexibility it provides. ATA stands firmly behind this effort spearheaded by Congressman Aderholt to defeat this ill-advised rule, and we will continue to work alongside other Members of Congress to protect Americans’ right to earn a living in the manner that they choose.”
ATA has strongly opposed the independent contractor rule since its inception, joined a broad coalition of organizations filing a lawsuit against it, and backed a legislative effort led by Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-California) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) to overturn the rule. ATA also released a video featuring the personal stories of independent truckers who have been affected by this rule.
In April, over a dozen members of ATA’s Women In Motion Council participated in a Call on Washington with top policymakers on Capitol Hill and in the White House to discuss key issues, including the importance of protecting independent contractors. During their meetings, they distributed a booklet with testimonials from women who work as independent truckers. The booklet was used at a subsequent hearing by Representative Kiley as the foundation of a powerful line of questioning of Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su.
In addition to the provision blocking the independent contractor rule, the House funding bill contains other trucking industry priorities, such as a provision that would stop the National Labor Relations Board’s joint employer rule. The bill would also freeze the Department of Labor’s worker walk around regulation, which proposes allowing an unlimited number of third parties such as union representatives and trial attorneys to accompany OSHA inspectors on safety inspections.
The legislation now heads to the full House Appropriations Committee for a hearing.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
