Johnson’s bill ensures deliveries during emergencies, natural disasters

U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) on Feb. 29 led a bipartisan bill that would expand the definition of an emergency under federal law to guarantee that Americans continue to have access to essential goods during natural disasters and other emergencies.

Rep. Johnson sponsored the Modernizing Operations for Vehicles in Emergencies (MOVE) Act, H.R. 7496, alongside lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) to provide flexibility and certainty to the nation’s supply chains during emergencies.

“It’s more important than ever to ensure goods are moving in an emergency,” Rep. Johnson said. “The MOVE Act is another way to remove unnecessary roadblocks and red tape in our supply chain to prevent another crisis like we saw during and in the aftermath of the pandemic.”

During emergencies or disasters, states now have the authority to waive federal weight limits on the interstate system to allow shippers to quickly deliver relief supplies. Many companies used such waivers during the COVID-19 pandemic to secure the supply chain and ensure deliveries of food, water, and products. Waivers are similarly used during natural disasters to provide relief supplies to impacted communities, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Johnson’s staff.

Under current law, special permits may be issued if the president has declared the emergency to be a major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. However, many emergencies that require shipper flexibility do not meet that standard, including COVID-19, which didn’t meet that test and legislation was needed to grant flexibility, the summary says.

If enacted,  H.R. 7496 would update the authority for vehicle weight waivers in cases of natural disasters, disease, and other emergencies that negatively impact commerce and supply chains.

The bill would expand the circumstances under which the federal government would allow a state to waive federal weight limits on the interstate system to include declarations by governors, including those regarding disease and challenging supply chain conditions.

Such declarations would remain in effect for 270 days to allow for proper emergency responses rather than the current 120-day maximum under current law.

“During times of emergency and the pandemic, struggling communities in my district were hit hardest by roadblocks to our supply chain,” said Rep. Costa. “This bipartisan legislation will remove barriers that prevent us from delivering vital relief when communities need it most.”

The American Trucking Associations and the Shippers Coalition support H.R. 7496.