Rosendale Leads Letter Supporting Truckers
Last week, U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., led a letter to President Biden signed by 63 of his House colleagues, offering support for the protesting truck drivers subject to the COVID-19 vaccine mandates on essential travel between the U.S. and Canada and urging the Biden Administration to work with the Canadian government to lift the mandates.
“In 2020, trucks carried more than 70.9 percent of the value of surface trade exchanged between the U.S. and Canada—valued at $695 billion,” the letter states. “The vaccination requirement on truck drivers will have disastrous consequences for American commerce.”
The letter goes on to state that the Canadian Trucking Alliance expects as many as 22,000 Canadian and 16,000 American drivers to forgo cross-border trips, retire, or quit in response to the new entry requirements. This type of disruption will only further damage our already crumbling supply chains.
“Truckers are the lifeblood of our nation, and I am proud to see truck drivers throughout the U.S. and Canada boldly take a stand to put an end to tyrannical COVID-19 vaccine mandates, including at our northern border,” Rosendale said. “This vaccine mandate on essential travel hurts our truckers’ ability to provide for their families, will cause our supply chain to deteriorate even further, and will prevent Americans from obtaining essential products they need. I urge President Biden to work with the Canadian government to end the COVID-19 vaccination mandates at the border and support American truckers before our nation suffers anymore.”
“It is important that the Biden Administration work with the Canadian government to ensure the continued flow of good across our northern border. As our nations continue to recover from the COVID pandemic, coupled with the ongoing supply chain crisis, it is critical that regulations not impair our economic security and well-being,” Bob Costello, senior vice president, International Trade & Cross Border Operations, American Trucking Associations, said.
“We thank Rep. Rosendale for standing up against an arbitrary mandate that makes it harder for truckers to earn a living and disrupts the movement of goods. Truckers are essential workers and face enough challenges without being imposed upon with such intrusive requirements,” Todd Spencer, president, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said.
