Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Truckers Responding At National Shipping Ports Overcoming Retail Turmoil Act” or the “TRANSPORT Act”.
Truckers Responding At National Shipping Ports Overcoming Retail Turmoil Act
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program to provide grants to motor carriers and motor private carriers to transport goods during a national emergency or a period of time in which there is a certain percentage of port congestion, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Program establishment
In general— Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program to provide grants to motor carriers and motor private carriers (as such terms are defined in section 13102 of title 49, United States Code) to transport goods from a port to a final destination point or to a point that is easily accessible by another form of transport during a covered period.
Purposes— The purposes of the program established under subsection (a) are to—
anticipate any market disruption caused by a national emergency;
strengthen the local and regional supply chain; and
model nimbleness and responsiveness in emergency situations.
Compliance with regulations— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any recipient of a grant under this section who complies with regulations set forth in chapter III of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, may operate a commercial motor vehicle in any State to transport goods from a port to a destination point during a covered period, regardless of whether such recipient complies with regulations for the operation of a commercial motor vehicle in such State.
Definition of covered period— In this Act, the term “covered period” means the period—
beginning on the date on which the President declares a national emergency under section 201 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1621) and ending on the date on which such national emergency is terminated; or
beginning on the date on which the Secretary makes a determination that a port is congested by at least 50 percent and ending on the date on which the Secretary determines that congestion at such port is less than 49 percent for at least 60 consecutive days.
Funding— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any unobligated funds made available under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–2) or the CARES Act (Public Law 116–136) may be used to carry out this Act.