A group of Republican lawmakers introduced new legislation to eliminate COVID-19 vaccine requirements for cross-border truckers.
On February 17, 2022, Florida Senator Rick Scott introduced the Terminating Reckless and Unnecessary Checks Known to Erode Regular Shipping (TRUCKERS) Act.
The mistreatment of truck drivers needs to end now. They are essential to U.S. supply chains & deserve our full support. I’m announcing a bill next week to end the pointless vax mandates on international truck drivers that are hurting these workers & our economy. #TRUCKERSAct
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) February 18, 2022
The bill is cosponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn, Mike Braun, Kevin Cramer, Josh Hawley, John Hoeven, Mike Lee, Roger Marshall and Marco Rubio.
Scott says that the bill would exempt non-U.S. citizen commercial truck drivers traveling from Canada or Mexico who are seeking to temporarily enter the United States for business through a land port of entry from proof of vaccination requirements.
A companion bill is expected to be introduced in the House of Representatives this week.
“Truck drivers are the backbone of America’s economy. My dad was a truck driver and I know firsthand how critical these men and women are to getting products flowing to American families and businesses again. President Biden’s inflation and supply chain crises are devastating so many Americans, especially our poorest families like mine growing up. By pushing these ridiculous mandates, he is only making things worse. The government has no business pushing mandates on families and our hardworking businesses and my TRUCKERS Act will help stop this nonsense in its tracks. Joe Biden would be wise to take note of what’s happening in Canada and see that the top-down, ‘government controls all’ approach doesn’t work. I also urge Canada’s government to drop its ridiculous mandates on foreign drivers. I hope all of my colleagues will work with us to quickly pass this good and urgently needed bill,” Scott said.
“At a time when we’re already facing supply chain constraints, it makes no sense to make it even more difficult to transport goods and products across our shared border. Hamstringing truckers with vaccine mandates just to cross the border only exacerbates the existing supply chain challenges. This legislation with Senator Scott will exempt truck drivers from providing proof of vaccination when they are crossing the border for business,” said Hoeven.
The bill has been referred to the the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
The move to eliminate vaccine requirements for cross-border truckers comes after weeks of demonstration in Ottawa and as U.S. truckers begin a cross-country protest convoy terminating in in the D.C. area.