ATA joins coalition to cut red tape, hassles in security credentials applications

A lot of people talk about treating truck drivers as essential elements—perhaps THE essential components—of America’s supply chain.

But consider tales of the driver in 2024 as he or she tries to secure necessary security credentials as a condition of employment. It can be a costly, time-consuming and at time-degrading process.

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) was joined by over 150 organizations representing trucking, rail, energy, organized labor, agriculture, third-party logistics providers and other key supply chain stakeholders in sending a letter to urge the House Homeland Security Committee to pass the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act.

The ATA was joined in the group by its 50 state associations, the Teamsters union, Association of American Railroads, American Chemical Council, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, National Private Truck Council and Women in Motion, among others.

The idea is to ultimately reduce hassles and out-of-pocket expenses for workers who need multiple security credentials as a condition of employment.

The Homeland Security Committee is scheduled to markup the bill, which was introduced by Reps. Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), Adam Smith (D-Washington), Mark Green (R-Tennessee), Michael Guest (R-Mississippi), Salud Carbajal (D-California) and Dina Titus (D-Nevada).

ATA has been leading the effort to pass this bipartisan legislation to eliminate redundant fees and background checks for essential transportation workers.

As part of this comprehensive, ongoing advocacy effort, ATA President and CEO Chris Spear headed to Capitol Hill last week to meet one-on-one with the bill’s original sponsors and the leaders of the Homeland Security Committee, Reps. Mark Green and Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi), to shore up support. 

“There is no more effective way to thank truck drivers than by taking action to make their difficult jobs a little easier,” ATA President & CEO Chris Spear said in a statement.

“It is fitting that immediately following National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, members of the House Homeland Security Committee will have the opportunity to pass legislation to respect truckers’ time and money,” Spear said.

ATA has marshaled over 150 supply chain organizations in support of the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act because it reforms the outdated, inefficient and costly bureaucratic system that forces essential workers to pay duplicative fees and undergo duplicative background checks to obtain the credentials they need to do their jobs. 

“We applaud the Members of Congress who authored this bipartisan bill to support the hardworking men and women who keep our economy running, and we appreciate the leadership of Reps. Green and Thompson who are working to move this commonsense bill through their committee,” Spear added.

The Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act is designed to cut through red tape to allow workers to apply existing valid background checks to multiple TSA (Transportation Security Administration)-managed credentialing programs, such as the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) programs. 

By eliminating duplicative screenings and streamlining these programs, the bill would codify formal recommendations by the Government Accountability Office dating back to 2007.  These recommendations were reaffirmed in 2020 in a comprehensive security assessment conducted by the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center.  The bill does not make any modifications to the backend security threat assessment conducted on individual applicants, ensuring that they undergo the same level of review as they do under current law.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, led by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), previously voted to advance the measure.

In the letter, ATA and the group called on federal credentialing procedures to be streamlined, accessible and affordable so that workers can obtain the documentation they need to do their jobs without navigating needless bureaucracy.

“The ANS (amendment in the nature of substitute) is a long-overdue solution for the supply chain workers who have borne the costs of duplication and inefficiency for far too long, and the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act directs the implementation of (a) streamlined system that supports these hard-working individuals who keep our supply chain running,” the group said.

The legislation streamlines the enrollment and renewal processes for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and Hazardous Materials Endorsement of the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).