News

Congress could move to prevent railroad strike

House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Glenn GT Thompson says the potential for a railroad strike couldn’t have come at a worst time.

“We need to be moving agriculture commodities. We still have supply chain disruptions, let alone everything else that rail is carrying, which is an important part of our economy,” he says. “I’m hoping the Biden administration, because that’s normally where this falls in the Executive Branch to intervene and help with those negotiations, can avoid that strike from occurring.”

Ohio Farm Bureau members are in the nation’s capital this week. Today, they spoke with lawmakers about the importance of keeping trains running as well as other top priority issues.

Congressman Troy Balderson tells Brownfield “it’s becoming something a little bit different with the rail piece coming into play because of the amount of agricultural products that are moved by rail. In my office today, in the meetings I had, that popped up to the number one issue.”

Balderson says Congress could move to prevent a strike.

“We have been informed as members of Congress that we could potentially be here after Friday. It will depend on the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate whether or not we stay here and move forward,” Balderson says. “There have been a couple of bills introduced—I’ve not had the opportunity to look at all those yet because they’ve been done in the last 24 hours.”

Under the Railway Labor Act, Congress can impose a resolution based on a Presidential Emergency Board plan or order trains to operate as usual while conversations continue.

About 150 Ohio Farm Bureau farmer leaders including county Farm Bureau presidents, young agricultural professionals, and AgriPOWER Class XIII members are participating in the Washington D.C. Leadership Experience.