The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (“NSSGA”) submits these written comments to the Surface Transportation Board (“STB” or “Board”) pursuant to the April 7, 2022, Notice from the STB in the proceeding referenced above, which permits “written comments by any other interested person” concerning freight service. NSSGA members use freight rail to supply aggregates, particularly in fast growing metropolitan areas. The Association of American Railroads (“AAR”) estimates that freight rail moved 1.1 million rail cars of stone, sand, and gravel in 2020.

As Congress returns to session, we urge immediate consideration and passage of H.R. 4373, which would provide additional support for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics. The legislation also includes S. 3011/H.R. 5735, a measure to provide greater flexibility to American Rescue Plan (ARP) state and local resources. The ARP law provided $350 billion in relief funds and $10 billion in capital improvement assistance, which was critical to state and local governments managing pandemic-induced budget shortfalls.

As Congress moves to consider H.R. 4373, which would provide additional support for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, we applaud the inclusion of S. 3011/H.R. 5735, a measure to provide greater flexibility to American Rescue Plan (ARP) state and local resources. The ARP law provided $350 billion in relief funds and $10 billion in capital improvement assistance, which was critical to state and local governments managing pandemic-induced budget shortfalls.

I’m writing on behalf of the Opportunity America Jobs and Careers Coalition to express our support for the committee’s efforts to advance reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The Opportunity America Jobs and Careers Coalition is a Washington-based business group focused on job training and workforce development. Members include employers and employer associations from a broad range of industries experiencing skills mismatches and worker shortages – IT, manufacturing, construction, retail and hospitality, among others.

We, the undersigned associations, represent both public and private sector organizations that produce and use the materials, products, and equipment necessary to build America’s infrastructure and employ millions of hard-working Americans in well-paying jobs.

The National Stone, Sand, & Gravel Association (NSSGA) respectively submits this letter to thank Chairs Peter DeFazio and Donald Payne, Ranking Members Sam Graves and Rick Crawford, and the Members of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials (Committee) for holding this important and timely hearing on “Stakeholder Views on Surface Transportation Board (STB) Reauthorization” on March 8, 2022. NSSGA strongly supports the funding of the STB to ensure it can properly and effectively carry out its statutory duties.

On behalf of the 400 members of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, I want to thank you for holding today’s hearing on “Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) by the U.S. Department of Transportation” with Secretary Buttigieg. I would like to take this opportunity to share the viewpoints of our members on several critical priorities, as Congress and the administration work to implement the historic IIJA. NSSGA represents aggregates producers and those who manufacture equipment and services that support the construction industry.

The diverse group of construction and business associations undersigned below writes in strong support of the Fair and Open Competition Act (S. 403/H.R. 1284), sponsored by Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind. and Rep. Ted Budd, R-N.C. The Fair and Open Competition Act would prevent federal agencies and recipients of federal assistance from requiring or encouraging contractors to sign a controversial project labor agreement as a condition of winning a federal or federally assisted, taxpayer-funded construction contract.

We write in strong opposition to S. 3609, the “Gas Prices Relief Act of 2022” and the companion bill the “Gas Prices Relief Act” introduced in the House today. These bills will only further weaken the federal Highway Trust Fund and are shortsighted, since the gasoline excise tax is helping to pay for the historic “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)” just passed in November of last year. While we understand the pain Americans are feeling at the pump and throughout the economy due to rising inflation, a gas tax holiday is not the answer to this problem.

Suspending the federal gasoline tax in the name of “economic relief” is misguided and could undermine the recently enacted and bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The national associations and labor unions of the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) and the Americans for Transportation Mobility (ATM) coalition strongly oppose the S. 3609, the Gas Price Relief Act of 2022.