[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 469 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 469
To require the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration to establish an advisory board focused on creating
opportunities for women in the trucking industry, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 25, 2021
Mr. Moran (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mrs. Fischer, and Mr. Tester)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration to establish an advisory board focused on creating
opportunities for women in the trucking industry, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Promoting Women in Trucking
Workforce Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) women make up 47 percent of the workforce of the United
States;
(2) women are significantly underrepresented in the
trucking industry, holding only 24 percent of all
transportation and warehousing jobs and representing only--
(A) 6.6 percent of truck drivers;
(B) 12.5 percent of all workers in truck
transportation; and
(C) 8 percent of freight firm owners;
(3) given the total number of women truck drivers, women
are underrepresented in the truck-driving workforce; and
(4) women truck drivers have been shown to be 20 percent
less likely than male counterparts to be involved in a crash.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING WOMEN IN TRUCKING.
It is the sense of Congress that the trucking industry should
explore every opportunity to encourage and support the pursuit and
retention of careers in trucking by women, including through programs
that support recruitment, driver training, and mentorship.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration.
(2) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Women of Trucking
Advisory Board established under section 5(a).
(3) Large trucking company.--The term ``large trucking
company'' means a motor carrier (as defined in section 13102 of
title 49, United States Code) with more than 100 power units.
(4) Mid-sized trucking company.--The term ``mid-sized
trucking company'' means a motor carrier (as defined in section
13102 of title 49, United States Code) with not fewer than 11
power units and not more than 100 power units.
(5) Power unit.--The term ``power unit'' means a self-
propelled vehicle under the jurisdiction of the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration.
(6) Small trucking company.--The term ``small trucking
company'' means a motor carrier (as defined in section 13102 of
title 49, United States Code) with not fewer than 1 power unit
and not more than 10 power units.
SEC. 5. WOMEN OF TRUCKING ADVISORY BOARD.
(a) Establishment.--To encourage women to enter the field of
trucking, the Administrator shall establish and facilitate an advisory
board, to be known as the ``Women of Trucking Advisory Board'', to
review and report on policies and programs--
(1) to provide education, training, mentorship, or outreach
to women in the trucking industry; and
(2) to recruit, retain, or advance women in the trucking
industry.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Board shall be composed of not fewer
than 8 members whose backgrounds, experience, and
certifications allow those members to contribute balanced
points of view and diverse ideas regarding the objectives
described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of subsection
(c)(2).
(2) Appointment.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall
appoint the members of the Board, of whom--
(i) not fewer than 1 shall be a
representative of large trucking companies;
(ii) not fewer than 1 shall be a
representative of mid-sized trucking companies;
(iii) not fewer than 1 shall be a
representative of small trucking companies;
(iv) not fewer than 1 shall be a
representative of nonprofit organizations in
the trucking industry;
(v) not fewer than 1 shall be a
representative of trucking business
associations;
(vi) not fewer than 1 shall be a
representative of independent owner-operators;
(vii) not fewer than 1 shall be a woman who
is a professional truck driver; and
(viii) not fewer than 1 shall be a
representative of an institution of higher
education or trucking trade school.
(B) Diversity.--A member of the Board appointed
under any of clauses (i) through (viii) of subparagraph
(A) may not be appointed under any other clause of that
subparagraph.
(3) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of
the Board.
(4) Compensation.--A member of the Board shall serve
without compensation.
(c) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Board shall identify--
(A) barriers and industry trends that directly or
indirectly discourage women from pursuing and retaining
careers in trucking, including--
(i) any differences between women minority
groups;
(ii) any differences between women who live
in rural, suburban, and urban areas; and
(iii) any safety risks unique to the
trucking industry;
(B) ways in which the functions of trucking
companies, nonprofit organizations, training and
education providers, and trucking associations may be
coordinated to facilitate support for women pursuing
careers in trucking;
(C) opportunities to expand existing opportunities
for women in the trucking industry; and
(D) opportunities to enhance trucking training,
mentorship, education, advancement, and outreach
programs that are exclusive to women.
(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Board shall submit to the
Administrator a report containing the findings and
recommendations of the Board, including recommendations that
companies, associations, institutions, other organizations, or
the Administrator may adopt--
(A) to address any industry trends identified under
paragraph (1)(A);
(B) to coordinate the functions of trucking
companies, nonprofit organizations, and trucking
associations in a manner that facilitates support for
women pursuing careers in trucking;
(C)(i) to take advantage of any opportunities
identified under paragraph (1)(C); and
(ii) to create new opportunities to expand existing
scholarship opportunities for women in the trucking
industry; and
(D) to enhance trucking training, mentorship,
education, and outreach programs that are exclusive to
women.
(d) Report to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
of the House of Representatives a report describing--
(A) any recommendations of the Board submitted to
the Administrator under subsection (c)(2); and
(B) any actions taken by the Administrator to adopt
the those recommendations (or an explanation of the
reasons for not adopting the recommendations).
(2) Public availability.--The Administrator shall make the
report under paragraph (1) publicly available--
(A) on the website of the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration; and
(B) in appropriate offices of the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration.
(e) Termination.--The Board shall terminate on submission of the
report to Congress under subsection (d).
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