The Biden White House took another step to resolve supply chain complications, which threatened to disrupt the distribution of goods during the holidays. Soon after President Joe Biden signed a $1 trillion infrastructure package into law in November, the White House announced new guidance to expedite freight flow at critical hubs.
A new executive order related to implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directs federal agencies to prioritize programs and rules to strengthen commercial supply chains and domestic manufacturing. White House officials emphasized the order responds to freight bottlenecks, which they attributed partly to the pandemic.
Therefore, according to the executive
order, the Infrastructure Investment and
Job Act βwill help to rebuild Americaβs
roads, bridges, and rails; expand access
to clean drinking water; work to ensure
access to highβspeed internet throughout
the nation; tackle the climate crisis;
advanced environmental justice; and
invest in communities that have too
often been left behind.β The Biden
administration has announced that it
would prioritize near-term modernization
and expansion projects for ports
essential to freight distribution.
However,
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has
accentuated the potential economic
benefits of the presidentβs Build Back
Better plan. A pillar of the presidentβs
policy proposal is under consideration
in the U.S. senate. The secretary has
pointed that from providing childcare
and universal pre-L to expanding health
care coverage and reducing the cost of
energy, the Build Back Better Act will
make it easier for Americans to return
to the workforce after the COVID-19
pandemic.
By and large, Sen. John Thune, who is among Republicans in the chamber calling for additional aid for industries scrambling to transport freight, has pointed out that America is now facing an unprecedented supply chain crisis. Thus, many people encounter empty store shelves, waiting for longer times while having higher costs since the holiday season is approaching the troublesome supply chain bottleneck must-have solutions. According to Graves, a ranking member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, besides criticizing the presidentβs response to supply chain disruptions to stop pursuing the numerous burdensome regulations, policies, and spending priorities exacerbating this supply chain crisis.
