Lawmakers are looking for short and long-term solutions to shore up the supply chain. For congresswoman Cindy Axne, that includes legislation to reform ocean shipping by prohibiting carriers from declining US exports.
“Right now, we have containers that are leaving our country empty. Things are being imported here and they’re leaving without our goods. This is really impacting the ability for us to get our agricultural products out the door. So the Ocean Shipping Reform Act is heavily supported by agriculture because of the fact that it’s our opportunity to start moving our products at a quicker pace.”
The bill already has bipartisan support from more than 50 house members and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Representative Axne is also supporting the “Drive Safe Act” to put more truck drivers on the road.
“I can’t tell you how many Iowans have walked in the door from agriculture saying we need more drivers and this would help us get those drivers ages 18 to 21. Putting them through an apprenticeship program obviously making sure it’s safe for them and for the public to have them behind the wheel, but then allowing them to drive interstate so to cross our states and to make sure that they could do more than they’re currently doing.”
She also wants to bring more manufacturing back to the US with the “Made Here Act.”
“This would create great opportunities across the country, giving regional areas an opportunity to really focus in on key industries that help them succeed, giving more opportunity for businesses to work with government and nonprofits as well. Training folks to come into the workplace and building support with businesses all the way up the chain to get folks into the industry and then to have the jobs they are by building those industries out in areas that could help our country do better with our economy and with our GDP.”
A 4th piece of the plan would establish a “critical supply chain commission” to help build out policy based on lessons learned from the disruptions happening now and at the height of the pandemic.
“Our food supply system out of states like Iowa and just in agriculture in general need to be protected as part of that. And so making sure that we have a commission that looks at supply chains, how they function, ensuring that we’ve got a good processes in place to allow our agriculture to continue to supply what it does for this country is going to be incredibly important to look at in the future.”
She says all of these bills are moving through the legislative process right now and she is pressing house leadership to quickly hold hearings and move this agenda forward.
Related:
Ocean Shipping Reform Act: A Fix to Shipping Container Delays
American Farm Bureau Offers Insight into Shipping Container Shortage
Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne Full Interview
More efficiency in the trucking industry would help with supply chain hurdles, according to OOIDA