12/18/2024
IME Applauds House Passage of the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act
The President of the Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME), Clark Mica, today released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act:
“Passage of the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act is a win for our nation’s essential transportation workforce. Thanks to this legislation, these hard-working men and women will no longer be burdened with duplicative background checks and fees that do nothing to increase safety or security. The bill will also help keep critical supply chains moving. IME applauds the work of House and Senate leadership to pass this important legislation and make the lives of our transportation workers a little easier.”
“We urge President Biden to sign this bill without delay.”
Background:
- The commercial explosives industry creates more than 60,000 jobs and contributes more than $19 billion each year to the U.S. economy.
- Commercial explosives make the $121.7 billion dollar mining industry, the $2.2 trillion quarrying and construction industry, and the $812.2 billion energy production industry possible.
- Without essential transportation workers delivering commercial explosives to these industries, critical mineral development, energy production and building tomorrow’s infrastructure would not be possible.
- IME has been actively advocating before Congress on this bill for the past year. Last December, IME joined the American Trucking Associations and over 160 other organizations in sending a letter to the House Committee on Homeland Security calling for swift passage of the legislation.
- Prior to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation markup of this legislation in July 2024, IME sent a letter of support to the chair and ranking member of the committee, Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) expressing support for its passage in addition to signing onto a letter from the broader coalition of stakeholders.
- Prior to the markup in September 2024, IME sent a letter of support to the House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) and Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS) advocating for passage of the legislation. IME also signed a letter with a broader coalition of stakeholders prior to the House Homeland Security Committee markup.
- On November 21, the Senate passed the legislation by unanimous consent.