As the President & CEO of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), I am writing to implore Congress to avert a rail strike at all costs. The association’s 400 members are a critical part of effectively implementing the bipartisan infrastructure bill. They rely heavily on freight rail to get products where they need to be. A freight rail strike would have a tremendous impact on our industry’s ability to supply the construction materials needed for projects around the country. Aggregates producers use 1.1 million railcars to transport materials from quarries and plants, to growing communities and infrastructure projects. If rail service is suspended, it would be almost impossible to supplement these materials in these markets. Other transportation options are not viable alternatives to move material such long distances. It is estimated the cost of hauling one ton of aggregates by truck would double every 30-50 miles. Therefore, supplementing the transportation of aggregates that need to travel hundreds of miles would be extremely cost prohibitive and drastically create more emissions. This would cause active construction projects such as, infrastructure projects, new housing, schools and hospitals to come to a complete stop. This is all at a time when our industry is working to implement the largest federal infrastructure investment in our nation’s history.