Gimenez, Scott, Introduce the Supply Chain Emergency Response Act

 

Gimenez, Scott, Introduce the Supply Chain Emergency Response Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez (FL-26) introduced this week The Supply Chain Emergency Response Act. The bill redirects $125 million of unspent, unobligated CARES Act funds to facilitate cargo vessels currently on hold along the West Coast to cross the Panama Canal and dock in the East. The legislation also allows state governors to use unspent, unobligated CARES Act funds to help offset port fees and other related state-level expenses. 

After the bill’s introduction, Gimenez said:

“It is a grave failure of the Biden Administration that our store shelves are empty, and that Americans cannot find basic goods and products. From the beginning of this supply chain dilemma, Florida’s ports have clamored for more cargo vessels to reroute from their original port call to California and come to the East. Like Florida, several states in the Gulf and the eastern seaboard have both the port capacity and the logistical capabilities to ensure goods reach our shelves in a timely and efficient manner.

Getting these cargo vessels to Florida and other eastern states also alleviates the shipping container shortage, which has made it difficult for American producers – from our farmers and ranchers to our domestic manufacturers – to ship their goods and products abroad.

I thank Senator Rick Scott for introducing this bill in the Senate and joining this fight with me to help fix this supply chain issue with a commonsense approach. Senator Scott has always stood on the side of Florida’s workers. I also want to thank Governor Ron DeSantis for his steadfast leadership at the state-level in working to bring more cargo vessels to Florida’s ports – a move that will result in sizable economic activity for places such as PortMiami.”

 

Florida Senator Rick Scott will be introducing the bill in the Senate, saying:

 “As empty shelves grow more and more common, prices are surging higher and small businesses can’t access the goods they need to serve their customers. Joe Biden’s supply chain and inflation crises are devastating for so many Americans, but it’s our poorest families, those on low and fixed incomes like mine growing up, that are hurt the most. Yet, Biden does nothing to help. 

 

Unlike the Biden Administration, I’m not going to just sit around and play TV commentator. Today, I am proud to partner with my friend and colleague Congressman Gimenez in introducing the Supply Chain Emergency Response Act to get products flowing to American families and businesses again. We need to make Washington work for Florida families. Fortunately, Florida’s ports are ready and able to help with this crisis and I hope all of my colleagues work with us to quickly pass this good and urgently needed bill.”

 

Heritage Action of America, one of the leading conservative voices in the country, has supported the legislation. Garrett Bess, Vice President of Heritage Action, said:

\”Since taking office, President Biden and the Democratic party have continued to implement harmful policies that have ultimately led to a supply chain crisis. Further aggravating the problem is that, rather than seeking to address issues in the supply chain, Democrats elected to double down on the failed policies that got us into this predicament to begin with. Fortunately, Congressman Carlos Gimenez and Senator Rick Scott have grown tired of non-solutions and teamed up to introduce legislation that would utilize unspent COVID funds to alleviate some of the delays in the supply chain.\”

 

The Supply Chain Emergency Response Act would:

• Redirect $125 million of unspent, unobligated funding from the CARES Act to help facilitate the move of cargo vessels currently holding along the West Coast across the Panama Canal and dock in the East. 

• Allow state governors to use unspent, unobligated CARES Act funding to help offset port fees and other related state-level expenses