Making sure that the men and women who transport the nation’s freight have a place to use the restroom should resonate with members of both parties, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., said in a recent interview with Land Line Now.
“I was raised by a Republican father and a Democratic mom, and I think it’s really important to work bipartisanally to get things done that are pragmatic and practical, and this is an example of that,” Houlahan said.
Houlahan joined Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, to introduce the bipartisan Trucker Bathroom Access Act in June.
HR3869 aims to ensure that truck drivers have a place to use the restroom when they are waiting to deliver or pick up freight.
The bill does not require businesses to construct new restrooms. Instead, it would only mandate that truck drivers be granted access if a business has a restroom available to their customers or employees. It also would require the operators of ports and terminals to provide restroom access to drayage drivers.
“It’s also important to back up a little bit,” Houlahan said. “OSHA already requires businesses with more than 15 employees to have both men’s and women’s restrooms. And if you’re a business with less than 15 employees, you must have at least one unisex bathroom. So we’re not asking anyone to spend any more money or for businesses to do anything that would require an output of money or a burden on the business.
“This just feels like a no-brainer to me.”
Nehls also spoke with Land Line Now this past December when the bill was introduced in the previous legislative session.
Nehls said it’s the least America can do for the truck drivers who keep the nation’s supply chain moving.
“When you look at the number of truckers out there – the goods and services that American truckers deliver each and every day … It’s about time they have the basic right to use a restroom while working,” Nehls told Land Line Now.
Houlahan said the bill is expected to be considered at a House Transportation and Infrastructure markup hearing in the fall. If it advances there, it would be put to a vote by the full House floor.
The congresswoman encouraged all truck drivers to reach out to their lawmakers and ask them to support the Trucker Bathroom Access Act.
“Every two years, 9,000 pieces of legislation or so are introduced to Congress, and we can’t possibly with our tiny little offices keep track of all of them,” Houlahan said. “So we need the people to tell us which ones are important. If you call your member of Congress and say it’s important to you and ask them to support or sponsor the bill, it could make the difference in whether or not it happens.”
FightingforTruckers.com has made it easy for truck drivers to send a message to their representatives and ask them to become a sponsor to HR3869. LL
