"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week 44
Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 44 and....
....you're on the road with the original florida kid!....
Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch give a big cowboy howdy ........"HEY!" …
KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Well come on in! PLEASE Check your boots....(Grandma's on the loose with her famous wooden spoon......she will crack ya one….tellin’ya…..she doesn’t care if the world’s comin’ to an end..that kitchen floor stays clean…)...grab a chair and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee and have a seat….yeah dammit….I feel like reachin’ under the sink and grabbin’ grandpa’s bottle of JD….but….I’d best not, I’d probably end up on the six o’clock news and then I’d have to face Barbie …yeah I would….UhOhhh…Hep me Lawd !.......(the boys are all laughin’ readin’ this…they too know her…and fear her…..)
And besides, we've got lots to talk about this week.
A buddy of ours one county over, J.T. is losing his rig…he got caught up in the high fuel prices earlier this year and ran along just barely makin’ it(with low pay freight in the mix…hijacked surcharges..) and over the summer work was real slow so now he’s behind a couple of truck payments…and house payments…the insurance payments are due….so…we’re all tryin’ to keep him afloat but most of us are in the same boat and it’s takin’ on water faster than we can all bail….(I wish I was Dave Sweetman….really….)
WHAT THE HELL MAN…….
Maybe Obama can let us have some of that record breakin’ campaign money he’s collected since he says wants to help out us working people so bad….
(yeah that’ll happen)…..
First up (and back to the real world), I want to go over some legislation bills that we, as drivers, need to be made aware of and stay aware of....stuff like WHO'S behind them WHAT they are, WHEN they get voted on, and WHERE they're at in the process.
Dan Little from the OOU mentioned to me the other night on the phone about a couple of them; the HR6106, and the HR5986, saying I may want to write about them in this week's blog, because, in his opinion: "They are very important and affect all drivers bottom lines, every day and into the future".
And, as I looked into HR6106 and HR5995, I came upon several other pieces of legislation that DIRECTLY affect us as pro drivers, too, and I thought I would run them ALL by you truckstars to see what you think, and what you want to do about 'em.....
Now….before I forget –
Contact your elected officials TODAY! – (use your liberty before you can’t…)
www.house.gov - to find your representative enter your zip code
www.senate.gov – (scroll to your home state)
These 2 bills below are the ones about fuel tax on diesel; (HR5995 was still in the Ways and Means Committee when the time, Sept. 8th, came up on it…)but here’s the info on it in case it’s still alive, you may want to contact your Rep’s and Senators to see;
HR5995 -Title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to suspend the highway fuels taxes, to provide for a Joint Committee on Earmark Reform, and to prohibit earmarking for the remainder of the 110th Congress. Sponsor: Rep. Paul Ryan (and 23 co-sponsors) [WI-1] (introduced 5/8/2008)
HR6106 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to temporarily reduce the excise tax on diesel fuel and kerosene to the rate applicable to gasoline. This Act may be cited as the `The Diesel Tax Fairness Act of 2008'.
Rep. Mary Bono Mack [CA-45] (introduced 5/21/2008)
and co-sponsors;
Rep. Kay Granger [TX-12] -6/20/2008
Rep. Devin Nunes [CA-21]7/15/2008
Rep. John Shimkus [IL-19] -6/20/2008
Rep. Cliff Stearns [FL-6] - 6/12/2008
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
**(So what this “means” is “We” can still get on the horn and rattle some cages…it really works…)** Dan says: “This will affect a typical O/O to the tune of about $1,000 a year at present prices”.
HR5986 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to immediately terminate the excise tax on diesel fuel and the tax credits for ethanol and other alcohol fuels.Sponsor: Rep. Michael C. Burgess [TX-26] (introduced 5/7/2008)
Cosponsors (None) Committees: House Ways and Means Latest Major Action: 5/7/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
HR6630 – Mexican trucking in the U.S. (4 versions)
1 . HR6630IH - To prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from granting authority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the... (Introduced in House) 2 . HR6630EH - To prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from granting authority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the... (Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by House) 3 . HR6630RFS - To prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from granting authority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the... (Referred to Senate Committee after being Received from House) 4 . HR6630RH - To prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from granting authority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the... (Reported in House)
This one is of serious importance to the future job security of O/O’s and even company drivers here in the U.S. because it means a cheaper labor source for big business to haul freight here in the U.S., I don’t care what you’ve heard about it this is the “bottom line”. It passed on Sept. 10th. But the White House says they’ll veto and the House says they’ll fight the veto…so this is where WE come in….you know what to do!
Sponsor: Rep DeFazio, Peter A. (Our Hero!) [OR-4] (introduced 7/29/2008)
COSPONSORS (41):
Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] - 7/31/2008
Rep Berry, Marion [AR-1] - 9/8/2008
Rep Boswell, Leonard L.[IA-3]7/31/2008
Rep Boyda, Nancy E. [KS-2] - 7/31/2008
Rep Brown, Henry E., Jr. [SC-17/31/2008
Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44] - 9/8/2008
Rep Capito, Shelley Moore [WV-2]7/31/2008
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] 7/31/2008
Rep Carney, Christopher P. [PA-10] - 7/31/2008
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 7/31/2008
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 7/31/2008
Rep Davis, David [TN-1] - 7/31/2008
Rep Duncan, John J., Jr. [TN-2] - 7/29/2008
Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] - 7/31/2008
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 7/31/2008
Rep Gilchrest, Wayne T.[MD-1]7/31/2008
Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6] - 9/8/2008
Rep Hayes, Robin [NC-8] - 7/31/2008
Rep Higgins, Brian [NY-27] - 7/31/2008
Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] - 7/31/2008
Rep Hulshof, Kenny C. [MO-9] - 7/31/2008
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] - 7/31/2008
Rep Kagen, Steve[WI-8] - 7/31/2008
Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3] - 9/9/2008
Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] - 7/31/2008
Rep McHugh, John M. [NY-23] - 9/8/2008
Rep Mica, John L. [FL-7] - 7/29/2008
Rep Miller, Candice S. [MI-10] - 7/31/2008
Rep Miller, Gary G. [CA-42] - 7/31/2008
Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] - 7/31/2008
Rep Mollohan, Alan B. [WV-1] - 7/31/2008
Rep Moran, Jerry [KS-1] - 7/31/2008
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] - 7/31/2008
Rep Oberstar, James L. [MN-8] - 7/29/2008
Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] - 7/31/2008
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3] - 7/31/2008
Rep Richardson, Laura [CA-37] 7/31/2008
Rep Sali, Bill [ID-1] - 9/8/2008
Rep Sires, Albio [NJ-13] - 7/31/2008
Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18] - 7/31/2008
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10] - 7/31/2008
Speed Limit legislation;
HR6458 – Someone came up with the idea to set speed limits at 60 in the cities and 65 outside the cities…..Kill this one before it multiplies….
*These 3 below deal with surcharges, you O/O/s need to follow up on this!
HR5934 – or TRUCC ACT - (the Senate Bill version is S2910) - This Act may be cited as the `Trust in Reliable Understanding of Consumer Costs Act'
Rep. Thomas E Petri [WI-6] – Co-sponsor: Rep. Brad Ellsworth [IN-8]
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require that fuel surcharges collected by a motor carrier, broker, or freight forwarder be passed through to the person responsible for bearing the cost of fuel, and for other purposes.
Latest Major Action: 5/1/2008 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
H.R.5997 Title: To amend title 49, United States Code, to require a motor carrier, broker, or freight forwarder that collects a fuel surcharge to pay an amount equal to the surcharge to the person that bears the cost of the fuel, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Barrow, John [GA-12] (introduced 5/8/2008)
H.R.5977 Title: To amend title 49, United States Code, to require a motor carrier, broker, or freight forwarder that collects a fuel surcharge to disclose and pay the fuel surcharge to the person responsible for bearing the cost of the fuel, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] (introduced 5/6/2008) Related Bills: H.R.5934, H.R.5997, S.2910Latest Major Action: 5/6/2008 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
S.2910 Title: A bill to require brokers to disclose and pay independent truckers for any fuel surcharges received from shippers that relate to fuel costs paid for by the truckers. Sponsor: Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] (introduced 4/24/08) Cosponsors (4) Related Bills: H.R.5934, H.R.5977, H.R.5997 Latest Major Action: 4/24/2008 Referred to Senate committee.
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. *(This means if you let them know you’re a voter it’ll swing our way, there’s still time!)*
HR1756 – NAFTA Truck Safety Act – (for the Mexicans to have safe trucks…yeah you go boy!)
Tax credit for alternate power generators;
HR139 – ( or now known as bill S 894) A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit for the purchase of idling reduction systems for diesel-powered on-highway vehicles. Sponsor: Sen. Blanche L. Lincoln [AR] (introduced 3/15/2007) Is somewhere in the Finance Committee and poss. Further before debate. It’ll help offset the cost of switching over to a power gen. in your truck, we need this too!)
*Okay truckstars….those are the latest issues and people behind them….I can’t stress enough….and I want you to listen to me PLEASE….get on the horn…now…today….as soon as you get a minute to get on the computer to send an e-mail, or make a phone call (by Googling your Rep’s and Senators after you go to the addresses I posted above and finding out their phone number…) We know from the superman efforts of guys like Dan Little from the OOU that our voices are being heard AND taken very seriously, and we’re not just talkin’ about politics here, we’re talkin’ about day to day issues that affect your pay and job future….your voice really matters!….Are ya in?.........This country was founded by people with great courage and nerve who were under the kinds of oppressive threats to their liberties like we are now but we haven’t been exercising our rights for a very long time, most of us anyway….and like I’ve said before I’m not talkin’ about getting’ involved in politics, I’m sayin’ to get involved in government, our government because if we don’t….then we’re just a helpless peanut gallery with our lives and futures blowin’ in the wind….what’cha think truckstar?
I’ll be doing a separate blog on The Health Dept. And Truckstar Tech in a day or two!
Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….
That’s it for now!
If you’re a prayin’ person, Please pray for our nation, the world and the lost…
REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..
Don’t forget! I love ya and I’m prayin’ for ya!
So play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………
Saddle up…..let’s ride!……
……you’re on the road with the original florida kid…we gown…..
