Elections Set Up Democratic Majorities for the 120th Congress
The midterm Congressional elections on November 3rd set up a sweeping change in political dynamics for the final two years of the Trump presidency. Driven largely by affordability concerns, voters ushered in decisive Democrat majorities in both the House and Senate. While votes are still being counted, Dems will hold at least 255 House seats (Republicans will hold at least 170, with ten seats not yet called) and 55 Senate seats (Republicans will hold at least 44, with Alaska still counting ballots in a close race).
Prior to the swearing in of the 120th Congress in January, parties are now choosing their leadership for the next two years. Of note, House Republicans elected Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) to serve as the House Minority Leader, and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has been challenged by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to serve as the next Senate Majority Leader.
New leadership on key committees will include Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) taking the gavel of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over ATA-supported bills that would curb lawsuit abuse, and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) who will take the chairmanship of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, which oversees the FHWA and EPA. In the House, Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) will lead the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) will resume his previous leadership of the Energy & Commerce Committee.
ATA looks forward to working with Committee leaders and members on both sides of the aisle to advance key priorities for the trucking industry next year.
ATA Hails Senate Introduction of Trucker Bathroom Access Act
Last Wednesday, Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced the Trucker Bathroom Access Act in the Senate. This bill, which is strongly supported by ATA, will ensure that truckers are granted access to publicly available restrooms in the facilities that they serve.
The bipartisan bill is scheduled to be voted on by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation next week. The House companion bill was previously introduced by Reps. Troy Nehls (R-TX) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and was approved by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee in May as part of the Build America 250 Act.
“Truckers are the heartbeat of our economy and critical to supply chain continuity,” said Henry Hanscom, Chief Advocacy & Public Affairs Officer of the American Trucking Associations. “When drivers stop to make pickups or deliveries—which can take hours on end while waiting to be loaded or unloaded—they should be able to use restroom facilities. Access to such basic accommodations is about more than common courtesy; it is about ensuring the dignity of the men and women who do the heavy lifting to provide for everyone in this country. This legislation can also help reduce a major barrier to retaining and recruiting more truck drivers, particularly women. ATA appreciates Senator Blunt Rochester and Senator Fischer’s leadership in addressing this persistent challenge and supporting professional truck drivers.”
House Passes Cybersecurity Bill for Small Businesses
Also on Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the Cybersecurity for Small Businesses Act, which was sponsored by Rep. Tony Wied (R-WI). This bill is a priority for ATA’s Moving & Storage Conference and was a highlight of discussions during their 2026 Call on Washington.
This legislation would require the Small Business Administration, in coordination with the Department of Defense, to provide specific information on the levels of cybersecurity requirements for the DOD’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). This certification is necessary for companies serving DOD facilities, such as the moving and storage companies that move military families. Ensuring that small businesses have clear information on the requirements for the certification is important to ensure a fair business environment that can provide the necessary capacity to ensure military readiness and positive moving experiences for military families.
Senate to Vote on Permitting Reform
Last week, the Senate held procedural votes that will allow for debate and amendment on a bipartisan proposal on federal permitting reform this week. Crafted by a bipartisan group of Senate Committee leaders, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 will make targeted changes to promote permitting for transmission, generation, geothermal, hydropower, mining, and offshore energy. The proposal will also help highway projects by exempting them from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review if they are proposed in existing rights-of-way.
Negotiations on the bill were led by Senate EPW Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), EPW Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senate Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Mike Lee (R-UT), and Energy & Natural Resources Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-NM). Once passed by the Senate, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in the House is working to ensure consideration of the measure in that chamber prior to the end of the 119th Congress.
Lame Duck Outlook: NDAA and Appropriations
The two major priorities for Congressional action in the next six weeks are passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act and fully funding federal agencies through September 30th, 2027.
The NDAA is likely to include the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, which is a strongly bipartisan proposal that will dedicate critical resources to help the Department of Homeland Security coordinate a national response to cargo theft with state and local law enforcement. The bill has passed Congress annually for over 60 years, but its consideration this year is complicated by the Administration’s request for a $1.5 trillion funding level, the ongoing conflict in Iran, and incoming Democratic majorities that want to place significant guardrails on the Trump Administration.
Meanwhile, the FY2027 spending bills that provide funding and guidance to agencies for the full fiscal year include key programmatic spending that is important to trucking. That includes money for truck parking and requirements that federal agencies finalize guidance for the use of hair testing as a means of detecting drug use in CMV operators. The Senate Appropriations Committee has started releasing its draft measures for Fiscal Year 2027, with 7 of 12 bills currently public. Both the House and Senate will need to pass a short-term funding extension on December 11th or risk a government shutdown. Congress will likely complete debate on these bills next year.
ATA will work closely with champions across Congress to ensure that the top priorities for the trucking industry are included in any must-pass legislation before the end of the year as well as in any bills reintroduced for further debate next year in the 120th Congress.
Committees
On Tuesday, November 10th, numerous Senate Committees held nomination hearings to continue the push to confirm as many nominees as possible before Democrats hold the gavel next year. The hearings of note are below:
- Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on key remaining nominations including Ms. Leslie Becera to be Assistant Secretary of Transportation and Ms. Danielle Thumann to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission. Senators used their time to ensure the nominees will follow the law, be responsible stewards of taxpayer funds, and execute outstanding transportation and broadband projects.
- Senate Finance’s hearing focused on the nominations for key roles at the Departments of Treasury and Commerce. Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) centered his questions on Commerce’s strategy to address China’s unfair trade practices. The nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Christopher Abbott, responded by emphasizing Commerce’s recent focus on addressing subsidies to Chinese backed, transnational companies. There was bipartisan agreement that trade enforcement needs to improve.
- Senate Environment & Public Works considered the nomination of Justin Schwab to be Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. Senators asked multiple questions about emission standards, EPA’s plans for data center permits, and Schwab’s commitment to working with them on specific state initiatives to improve air quality. Prior to the hearing, ATA submitted a letter of support for Mr. Schwab and looks forward to working with him to put forth ambitious and achievable federal emission standards for the trucking industry.
Grassroots Update
ATA’s Call on Washington program will return this week with numerous state associations in town for the final Call on Washington of the 119th Congress.
Interested in participating in Call on Washington or hosting a truck terminal visit with your Member of Congress? Email Abbey Schroeder (aschroeder@trucking.org).
The Week Ahead
The House and Senate are in session this week. The next Hill Report will be sent on November 23rd.