TRANSPORT Jobs Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3055
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-09: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-11T01:53:20Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation aims to facilitate the transition of retiring or separating members of the Armed Forces and veterans into jobs in the supply chain sector, particularly in transportation areas like ports, ocean shipping, rail, and trucking. It requires the development of a strategic action plan to identify barriers, highlight transferable skills, and recommend ways to increase employment opportunities in these fields.
Key Provisions
- Short Title: The Act is titled the "Transitioning Retiring And New Service Members to Port Ocean Rail and Truck Jobs Act" or the "TRANSPORT Jobs Act."
- Development of Action Plan: Within 30 days of enactment, the Secretary of Transportation must create and publicly release the "Veteran to Supply Chain Employee Action Plan," in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Labor.
- Contents of the Plan:
- Identify Issues: Barriers faced by eligible service members (those qualifying for pre-separation counseling under U.S. law, meaning those planning to leave the military) and veterans in job searching, hiring, training, and retention as supply chain employees; challenges for employers in recruiting and keeping them; regulatory hurdles (rules or requirements that complicate hiring); regions with high demand for supply chain workers; and trends or obstacles discouraging military personnel from these careers.
- Highlight Strengths and Opportunities: Transferable knowledge, skills, and abilities from military service useful in supply chain roles, along with any gaps to address; ways to build on existing programs for transitioning to these jobs; and improvements to employer outreach, training, mentorship, education, and career advancement to boost participation.
- Recommend Actions: Specific short- and long-term steps that the Departments of Transportation, Defense, Veterans Affairs, or Labor can take to support transitions into supply chain employment.
- Consultation Requirement: Input must be gathered from the transportation supply chain industry, employers in areas like ports, ocean, rail, and trucking, and organizations representing supply chain workers.
- Definition: A "supply chain employee" is defined as someone directly involved in moving goods, such as through logistics or transportation.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This Act introduces a new requirement for an interagency action plan focused on military-to-civilian transitions in the supply chain sector. It does not amend existing laws but builds on current programs, such as pre-separation counseling under 10 U.S.C. § 1142 (which provides job transition assistance to service members leaving the military). No direct repeals or modifications to prior statutes are specified.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Departments of Transportation, Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Labor will need to collaborate on plan development and implementation, potentially reallocating resources for veteran employment initiatives. This could lead to enhanced coordination across agencies without new funding mandates.
- Citizens: Eligible service members and veterans may gain better access to training, job placement, and career support in high-demand supply chain roles, improving post-military employment outcomes and economic stability. Supply chain employers could benefit from a more skilled workforce, addressing labor shortages in transportation.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though strengthening the U.S. supply chain workforce could indirectly support national logistics resilience, which is relevant to trade and global commerce.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Military Personnel and Veterans: Primarily those eligible for pre-separation counseling (service members nearing discharge) and all veterans, who stand to gain from reduced employment barriers and targeted support.
- Government Entities: Secretaries and departments of Transportation, Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Labor, responsible for plan creation and execution.
- Industry and Employers: Supply chain businesses, especially in transportation modes like ports, ocean, rail, and trucking, who face hiring challenges and will provide input and potentially adopt recommended programs.
- Labor Organizations: Groups representing supply chain workers, involved in consultations to shape the plan.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The Act aligns with existing federal commitments to veteran employment under laws like the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act, emphasizing non-discriminatory hiring and skill translation without creating new enforceable rights or penalties. It promotes regulatory review to ease burdens, which could lead to future administrative changes.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; it supports equal protection and due process by aiding a specific group (veterans) through voluntary agency actions, without infringing on individual rights.
- Political: Reinforces bipartisan priorities on veteran support and workforce development in critical infrastructure sectors, potentially influencing future funding or expansions in transportation and defense policies. It highlights supply chain vulnerabilities, tying into broader national security and economic agendas.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3], Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12], Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4], Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-09: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2025-09-08: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2025-09-08: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3874)
- 2025-09-08: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3874)
- 2025-09-08: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3055.
- 2025-09-08: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3874-3875)
- 2025-09-08: Mr. Barrett moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 2025-09-08: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 200.
- 2025-09-08: Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged.
- 2025-09-08: Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged.
- 2025-09-08: Committee on Armed Services discharged.
- 2025-09-08: Committee on Armed Services discharged.
- 2025-09-08: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 119-243, Part I.
- 2025-09-08: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 119-243, Part I.
- 2025-06-11: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Bill Versions
- Transitioning Retiring And New Service Members to Port Ocean Rail and Truck Jobs Act — issued 2025-09-08 — PDF (6 pages)
- Transitioning Retiring And New Service Members to Port Ocean Rail and Truck Jobs Act — issued 2025-04-29 — PDF (4 pages)
- Transitioning Retiring And New Service Members to Port Ocean Rail and Truck Jobs Act — issued 2025-09-09 — PDF (5 pages)
- Transitioning Retiring And New Service Members to Port Ocean Rail and Truck Jobs Act — issued 2025-09-08 — PDF (8 pages)