RECOGNIZING TRUCKER APPRECIATION WEEK

On 2026-09-14, Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC-5) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING TRUCKER APPRECIATION WEEK" in the House.

RECOGNIZING TRUCKER APPRECIATION WEEK

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 144 (Monday, September 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 144 (Monday, September 14, 2026)] [House] [Pages H5615-H5618] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING TRUCKER APPRECIATION WEEK (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Ms. Hageman of Wyoming was recognized until 10 p.m. as the designee of the majority leader.) Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am here and we have gathered this evening to talk about Trucker Appreciation Week. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the unsung heroes who spend their days hauling the American Dream across our Nation's highways. America's truckers are the men and women who keep America moving. They drive for hours on end to make sure that our shelves are stocked. They rush in to deliver lifesaving supplies when disaster strikes. They keep our industries running by delivering the raw materials needed to build our country. Simply put, truckers are the reason Americans have and continue to live in an era of unprecedented prosperity. Unfortunately, our truckers face challenges from the lingering consequences of years of open borders and political leaders who flooded the Nation's highways with unqualified, foreign drivers who undercut our homegrown American labor. These new foreign drivers not only undermine wages and opportunities for American truckers but exacerbate the shortage of infrastructure to keep our goods moving. Worst of all, however, are the deadly crashes caused by these unqualified drivers who have been killing Americans, all of which have been made possible by the intentional decision of some to disregard commonsense Federal safety standards. The highway tragedies that have become so ubiquitous in the last couple of years have shone a spotlight on those collisions that could have been prevented but for the decisions by States like California, New York, and Illinois to unleash tens of thousands of unqualified drivers on our American freeways. These high-speed, 80,000-pound guided missiles have been barreling down our highways at 80 miles an hour, leaving way too many victims in their wake, and these illegally licensed drivers who have killed our fellow American residents simply have no business being on our roads. My home State of Wyoming, home to snow-covered and windswept highways built at elevations higher than the Sierra Nevada, suffers the highest rate of fatal truck crashes of any State. Threats to drivers anywhere are threats to families everywhere. The status quo is unacceptable, and it is time to prioritize our hardworking American truckers while keeping every motorist safe. I have introduced a series of bills to clean up our roads and crack down on bad actors who are exploiting loopholes in the system. I introduced the Commercial Motor Vehicle English Proficiency Act to require that all testing for commercial driver's licenses be administered in English. I also introduced Connor's Law with Representative Dave Taylor to codify the Trump administration's reinstatement of longstanding English proficiency requirements for anyone getting behind the wheel of a big rig. Understanding our national language to read our signs, adhere to warnings about hazardous conditions, and communicate with law enforcement should be the bare minimum to operate a commercial vehicle. I introduced the SAFE Act, included in this year's surface transportation reauthorization package, to enhance the ability of Federal regulators to effectively detect and crack down on chameleon carriers. Chameleon carriers are those that rack up safety violations yet continue to operate by adopting new identities to drive under the radar. The SAFE Act has been endorsed by nearly a dozen major industry advocates, including the American Trucking Association, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Teamsters, Truckload Carriers Association, Truck Safety Coalition, American Truckers United, National Tank Truck [[Page H5616]] Carriers, Transportation Intermediaries Association, and American Bus Association. I also introduced the ROUTE Act to expand opportunities for young CDL holders to operate across State lines. Right now, an 18-year-old licensed to carry a load and travel 450 miles from Cheyenne to Jackson, Wyoming, is prohibited from making the same trip just 45 miles to Fort Collins, Colorado, because the latter journey crosses State lines. Easing nonsensical regulatory barriers will help bring more young people into a promising profession without the burden of a costly college degree. {time} 2120 I most recently introduced the STOP Improper Licensing Act, requiring continued oversight of States issuing non-domiciled CDLs to drivers, ensuring that standards are properly adhered to. This bill withholds funds for any States refusing to comply with commonsense Federal safety standards. America's truckers make our modern life possible, and they have improved our standard of living. They deserve leadership and support to make their profession safe and profitable. By working together and passing this series of pieces of legislation, the Wild West of trucking undermining American truckers and threatening our families will finally be over. I thank my colleagues for participating in this evening's Special Order, and I thank the Congressional Trucking Caucus and the group's chairman, Congressman Dave Taylor of Ohio, for collaborating on these issues. I also thank the industry groups which have supported our efforts to get critical legislation past the finish line to lift the men and women who keep America moving. I thank every truck driver in this great country. We appreciate them and what they do for us. I now yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Taylor) to address the body. Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. It was established in 1988 by the American Trucking Association. This week gives communities across the United States a chance to honor the dedication truck drivers bring to their careers and the impact they have on our communities. Truck drivers are critical to the United States' supply chain, often being the last mode of transportation delivering food to grocery stores, medical supplies to hospitals, and other vital goods to our constituents which they rely on every day. Virtually every time you purchase something, you can thank a truck driver for making it possible. Annually, truck drivers haul more than 11 billion tons of goods and navigate over 330 billion miles across the United States, rain or shine, day and night, to ensure communities have access to the items we need. Along with some of my colleagues, I am proud to have founded the first Congressional Trucking Caucus to provide a forum for lawmakers in Congress to suggest ideas and policies to support truck drivers across the United States. Earlier this year, the caucus introduced a resolution highlighting the administration's ``Our Roads, Our Safety'' campaign to promote safety tips on our Nation's roadways to keep all drivers safe. I thank Congresswoman Hageman for hosting this Special Order hour and members of the Congressional Trucking Caucus who came today to highlight truck drivers. Lastly, I thank our American truck drivers for their hard work and dedication and recognize the role they play in our great Nation. Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman) to address the body. Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Hageman for leading this charge. As a proud member of the Congressional Trucking Caucus and as a Member who has had my CDL for 35 years or more, I rise today in recognition of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week and the hardworking men and women who keep America moving. We talk a lot in this Chamber about what makes our economy work. Well, the answer is pretty simple. It takes people who are willing to work. American truck drivers do exactly that. Nearly 3.6 million professional truck drivers are on our roads today, delivering the food on our tables, the medicine in our pharmacies, the materials on our construction sites, and the products that keep American businesses running. In South Carolina, we know just how important these men and women are. Nearly 80 percent of South Carolina communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods. Trucks transport nearly 94 percent of our State's manufacturing tonnage, roughly 149,000 tons every single day. There are more than 21,000 trucking companies located in South Carolina. The vast majority of them are small, locally owned businesses. Those numbers tell the story. If the trucks stop moving, South Carolina stops moving. Behind every one of those trucks is a driver. These are men and women who wake up early, work long hours, spend time away from their families, and take on tremendous responsibility every time they get behind the wheel. They do it because there is a job to be done. A lot of times bureaucrats don't understand that, and government should remember that. Truckers already pay licensing fees and taxes while using our roads and bridges that are necessary to do their jobs. We should be making it easier for these hardworking Americans to earn a living, not piling on unnecessary costs and burdens on top. While we stand up for our truck drivers, we also have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the profession. That is why I am proud to cosponsor the SAFE Driving Laws Act. This bill says States should not be handing out driver's licenses or commercial driver's licenses to those who cannot prove that they are a U.S. citizen or have a permanent residency, while at the same time refusing to cooperate with Federal immigration enforcement. States that refuse to follow these basic standards could lose 50 percent of certain Federal highway funding. This is about accountability. A CDL is not just another piece of paper. When someon