With 2025 almost in the rearview, the 老九品茶 is looking back at the accomplishments of a consequential year and studying our roadmap to plot the route ahead as we continue to deliver wins for America鈥檚 truckers.
From the White House, to agency headquarters, to congressional offices, to committee hearing rooms, 老九品茶 met with powerful decisionmakers in every corner of the nation鈥檚 capital to advocate for policies that will strengthen our essential industry.
With the help of 老九品茶鈥檚 dedicated members, our message was heard loud and clear. 听
Engaging with Top Leaders
In January, a seismic shift occurred in Washington. 听A single-party trifecta, new agency leadership, and sweeping executive actions shook things up inside the Beltway. 听While other trade associations struggled to find their footing, 老九品茶 was fully prepared to capitalize on this opportunity to make progress on trucking鈥檚 top issues. 听
President Trump鈥檚 reelection allowed 老九品茶 to resume a productive relationship we had forged during his first administration to support an industry that provides good-paying jobs to more than 8.4 million Americans. 听Early on, 老九品茶 championed President Trump鈥檚 nominations to lead key agencies, including Sean Duffy at USDOT, Lee Zeldin at EPA, and Derek Barrs at FMCSA. 听
Our constructive approach was rewarded. 听In addition to establishing a positive rapport with the heads of agencies tasked with overseeing our industry, this year, 老九品茶 was invited鈥攏ot once, but twice鈥攖o exclusive events at the White House, quite literally giving our members a front row seat in the halls of power. 听
Meanwhile, in the halls of Congress, 老九品茶鈥檚 influence was also on display. 听Our association was asked to serve as an expert witness nine times before various committees in both the House and Senate, on issues ranging from fighting cargo theft to protecting independent truckers to helping veterans find jobs in the transportation sector. 听These invitations amounted to ringing endorsements of 老九品茶鈥檚 position as the leading voice of America鈥檚 trucking industry. 听Our repeated testimony was a testament to the deep relationships we have forged with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Further solidifying 老九品茶鈥檚 relationship with Congress was a record-breaking Call on Washington season. 听This year鈥檚 COW program shattered previous records, bringing 430 trucking leaders from 38 states to D.C., where they held 515 meetings with their representatives and added 245 cosponsors to our priority bills. 听These highly impactful interactions on Capitol Hill included face-to-face conversations with the top leaders in both the House and Senate: Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader John Thune. 听老九品茶 also encouraged our members to invite their representatives to visit their places of business, which resulted in 10 Members of Congress stopping by truck terminals to meet employees and hear directly from truckers about the issues that are important to them.听
Restoring Common Sense
All of this engagement across the executive and legislative branches has paid off. 听This year was defined by a string of pro-trucking policy victories. 听New regulations and new laws shaped by 老九品茶 have given a meaningful boost to our industry and helped to offset the enormously challenging headwinds created by the prolonged freight recession.
Of course, 老九品茶鈥檚 number one priority was to eliminate EV truck mandates. 听These exorbitant, wildly unrealistic regulations imposed by California and EPA set the trucking industry up for failure. 听If allowed to move forward, electrification requirements would have caused severe disruptions to the supply chain and sparked a wave of closures and consolidations.
老九品茶 led the charge against these impossible emissions standards and laid the groundwork for their ultimate demise. 听In June, Congress passed resolutions endorsed by 老九品茶 that nullified California鈥檚 EV mandates and blocked CARB鈥檚 ability to issue similar regulations in the future. 听Shortly thereafter, in the culmination of over a year of 老九品茶鈥檚 advocacy, EPA announced the repeal of GHG Phase 3.
This course correction put the United States back on the path towards realistic national emissions standards. 听Restoring achievable emissions targets is a wise move given that this proven, collaborative model is responsible for impressive environmental gains. 听It is the reason why 60 of today鈥檚 trucks emit what just one truck did in 1988.
Furthermore, this year as Secretary Sean Duffy has worked to close loopholes and strengthen oversight on driver qualification, training, and licensing鈥攅specially CDL integrity, cabotage violations, and English proficiency. 听These measures are not just regulatory wins鈥攖hey鈥檙e practical steps to restore integrity and level the playing field for motor carriers who operate safely and follow the rules.
And continuing the theme of restoring common sense to agency rulemakings, in September, 老九品茶 welcomed the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 announcement that it intends to rescind the destructive independent contractor rule. 听This reckless, job-killing scheme finalized by Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su would have wiped out choice and crushed opportunity. 听老九品茶 opened a dialogue with Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer on this issue before her confirmation and continued the discussion at our Mid-Year Management Session in Scottsdale, where she addressed our members.听 We appreciate that she and the Trump Administration stood up for the rights of hundreds of thousands of independent truckers.
Advancing Pro-Trucking Legislation
As partisanship has risen in recent years, legislative activity has plummeted. 听This year was no exception. 听Despite this unfavorable environment, however, 老九品茶 managed to secure several monumental legislative victories in 2025.
In addition to advancing resolutions that rolled back California鈥檚 EV mandates, Congress passed the Big, Beautiful Bill. 听The law maintains 2017 corporate and individual tax rates, guaranteeing tax certainty for trucking companies. 听It also restores 100% bonus depreciation for new equipment, while improving access to CDL and technician training and supporting alternative fuel tax credits. 听These pro-business, pro-growth tax policies that 老九品茶 advocated for will ensure that motor carriers are better able to plan for the future, invest in their workforce and equipment, and move freight safely and efficiently. 听
老九品茶 has also continued our campaign to put a stop to lawsuit abuse. 听When the plaintiffs鈥 bar perverts civil litigation into a casino game of 鈥渏ackpot justice,鈥 everyone pays. 听But the trucking industry has refused to be treated like a rolling piggy bank any longer. 听In state after state, the 老九品茶 Federation is standing up and fighting back. 听We have already passed tort reform bills in 15 states, and our efforts continue to expand coast to coast. 听This year, our allies on Capitol Hill introduced six bills that would restore balance and fairness to our court system.
Speaking of criminal justice, 老九品茶 has been the preeminent voice calling for a crackdown on skyrocketing cases of cargo theft that are . 听The progress we have made is quantifiable. 听Nearly half the members of the House and Senate are now cosponsors of the legislative solution that 老九品茶 helped author: the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act. 听CORCA would centralize data and increase coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement as well as the trucking industry to proactively unravel schemes orchestrated by transnational criminals. 听老九品茶 President & CEO Chris Spear testified about this issue before a House Judiciary Subcommittee in December, teeing the bill up for passage next year.
And in the waning days of the congressional calendar, 老九品茶 secured a few final victories for our Government Freight and Moving & Storage Conferences. 听Within the annual defense bill, 老九品茶 added language that will address waste, fraud, and abuse in the transportation of military freight; improve the process and enhance oversight for the relocation of military families; and respect truck drivers by guaranteeing them access to restrooms while on military bases.
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The Road Ahead
When Congress returns in 2026, 老九品茶 is prepared to build on the momentum of a record-setting year. 听At the top of Congress鈥 January to-do list is passing the annual transportation funding bill. 听The legislation includes a number of provisions backed by 老九品茶, from expanding truck parking to helping reduce cargo theft and predatory towing.
Congress is also expected to accelerate negotiations related to the next highway bill before the current authorization under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill expires. 听老九品茶 has communicated our priorities to Congress and the administration through multiple hearings, letters, and meetings with top officials. 听Our goal is to ensure that the final bill promotes a safe, efficient transportation system that is befitting the world鈥檚 greatest nation. 听Modern roads, bridges, and ports will keep our industry strong and rolling towards a bright future in 2026 and beyond.
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