Today, the House voted to ratify a bill between rail companies and labor unions granting rail workers additional sick-leave benefits, aiming to prevent a strike that would negatively impact U.S. supply chains and prevent an economic downturn.
The House approved emergency resolution, H.J.Res. 100, to implement the tentative agreement as brokered by the Biden administration with the rail labor unions and the operators. The resolution will now go to the Senate for consideration. It will need 60 votes to pass the Senate before arriving at President Biden’s desk for his signature.
In a statement today, the U.S. Grains Council offered:
“The U.S. railway system is vital to movement of grains and co-products to export markets, and the U.S. Grains Council believes the federal government, the railroads and the private sector should work together to assure no shutdown occurs,” said Ryan LeGrand, U.S. Grains Council president and CEO. “Ratifying the tentative agreements already in place is a step in the right direction to coming to a solution agreeable to all parties.”
###
About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.