Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., has been re-elected as Speaker of the House following a reversal by two Republican lawmakers.
Johnson was short of re-election after the initial roll call vote, but Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and Keith Self, R-Texas, flipped their votes before being finalized.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association congratulated Johnson on the vote and encouraged the congressman to advocate for pro-trucker legislation.
“OOIDA and the 150,000 small-business truckers we represent congratulate Speaker Johnson on his election to lead the U.S. House of Representatives in the 119th Congress,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said in a statement. “We look forward to working with him in advancing key priorities of small-business truckers across America, especially expanding truck parking. Over 70% of America’s freight is transported exclusively by truck, yet there is only one safe truck parking space for every 11 trucks on the road. We are confident in the leadership of Speaker Johnson and the bipartisan, pro-trucker coalition in Congress to get the job done and pass truck parking legislation.”
Truck parking
In recent years, OOIDA has worked with Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to introduce the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. As written in the previous session, the bill would provide $755 million toward the construction of truck parking spots.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the bipartisan Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. However, the bill never made it to the House floor for a vote.
OOIDA is hopeful that all of the pieces are in place to get the bill signed into law – or included in a larger highway bill package – over the next two years.
“We have a very favorable environment that we’re entering in 2025 and 2026,” said Collin Long, OOIDA director of government affairs. “The vice president happens to be a supporter of truck parking. As a senator, JD Vance co-sponsored the legislation and said, yes, this is a priority that I agree needs to get done. We hope that continues as he moves into a new and bigger role in the White House. But we’ve done enough groundwork, we believe, over the years to really make 2025 and 2026 a breakthrough for us on truck parking. It’s got more support in the House and Senate than it ever has … We’re as close as we’ve ever been to a breakthrough on truck parking.” LL
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