On September 17, 2013 Rep. Holding was granted permission to address the United States House of Representatives for one minute regarding National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.”
“Professional truck drivers in America deliver goods safely and on time to our hospitals, schools, and local grocers each day and are vital to both our local and our national economy.Mr. Speaker, last week, I recently sat down with a number of my North Carolina truck drivers and learned that their industry, like so many others in America, is facing a host of new rules and regulations by the Federal Government that is impacting their ability to retain current drivers and hire new ones”, he said.
“In North Carolina right now, Mr. Speaker, there is a shortage of up to 15,000 truck drivers. These are good-paying jobs that can average a salary of $50,000 and include benefits. In these difficult economic times, the Federal Government must be promoting policies that encourage companies to go out and hire that additional worker. Trucking is a great example of such an industry. Mr. Speaker, professional truck drivers have a vested interest in keeping our roads safe not only for their businesses but for everyone else that shares the highway. Let’s commit, Mr. Speaker, to finding sensible solutions that reduce burdensome regulations and keep our roads safe”, said Rep. Holding (source: Congressional Record http://thomas.loc.gov/).
Rep Holding serves on the Judiciary Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee.