Republicans urge Biden-Harris Administration action to prevent strike at East and Gulf Coast Ports

Republican Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House of Representatives, led by T&I Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Webster (R-FL), have urged the Biden-Harris Administration to do everything in its power to prevent a work stoppage at East and Gulf Coast ports that could lead to “dire impacts to our supply chains, our economy, and the American consumer.”

In their letter to the White House, the 69 Members of Congress say, “Given the devastating economic consequences of a potential strike and the Administration’s lack of engagement to date, we urge you to give immediate attention to this matter, to aid in these negotiations, and find a reasonable resolution to these contract disputes.” They add that, “if a strike should occur, we urge the Administration to utilize every authority at its disposal to ensure the continuing flow of goods and avoid undue harm to American consumers and the Nation’s economy.”

The leadership of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), the largest union of maritime workers in North America, has warned of a potential strike beginning October 1^st if no agreement on a new labor contract is reached with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).

The Members of Congress reminded the Administration of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the supply chain and highlighted their concerns about what could happen even with a comparatively brief work stoppage: “If a work stoppage occurred at East and Gulf Coast ports in October, estimates suggest that a one-week strike would take until mid-November to recover from and clear the backlog of cargo. Estimates further suggest a two-week strike would take until 2025 to fully recover from. Lengthier strikes would have an even greater cascading disruption. Any of these situations would have serious consequences for American consumers and the holiday season.”

The letter comes after Republican Committee Members were briefed yesterday by users of the supply chain – including representatives from the National Retail Federation, the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Forest & Paper Association, the National Cotton Council, and the American Trucking Associations – on the anticipated impacts of a strike at East and Gulf Coast ports.