Jonesboro Times

Washington – With consumers and businesses continuing to experience high prices and long waits due to continued supply chain problems, three bills introduced by Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-01) were approved at the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee markup and are now ready for consideration by the House. The bills, designed to relieve supply chain bottlenecks that continue to plague our economy, mark Crawford’s first legislative package as Chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee.

“The series of bills I introduced will remove barriers to the movement of goods, increase supply chain efficiency, and target infrastructure investment to fix persistent chokepoints that stifle economic growth,” said Rep. Crawford. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this package across the finish line and deliver on our promise to the American people to strengthen our supply chain and build a stronger economy.”

The Crawford bills approved by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are:

• · One Federal Decision for All Acto Streamlines the approval process for infrastructure projects by consolidating duplicative environmental reviews currently undertaken by multiple government agencies.
  • The One Federal Decision procedure is now used for highway projects, but this bill would expand current law to include port, aviation, and pipeline projects.
• · 10% Axle Variance for Dry Bulko Addresses the issue of dry bulk, such as flour, that shifts in route, thereby potentially putting the truck out of compliance with current weight-per-axle regulations. The bill would allow a variance of 10% per axle, enabling more efficient movement of these products.
• · Rolling Stock Protection Acto Closes loopholes that have allowed some large public transportation agencies to use federal funds to purchase rolling stock (locomotives, freight cars, and other railroad vehicles) from foreign, State Owned Enterprises (SOEs), including a Chinese-controlled manufacturer.

Original source can be found here.