When it’s time to say “thank you”, sometimes a phone call just isn’t enough.
That was the attitude OOIDA Board Member Miles Verhoef took when an opportunity presented itself for him to meet his local congressman, Montana Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte,
The congressman was hosting an event at a brewery in Malta, Verhoef’s hometown. Miles says he went there to shake Gianforte’s hand in person.
“I wanted to make it a point to get there and thank him for his support (of truckers and OOIDA),” Verhoef said, pointing to Gianforte’s role as a leading sponsor or cosponsor on several amendments and pieces of legislation that would benefit small business trucking operations. “I wanted to be able to thank him face-to-face.”
Congressman Greg Gianforte, left, shakes hands with OOIDA Board Member Miles Verhoef at a meeting for constituents on August 30 in Malta, Mont. Courtesy Miles Verhoef.
Since joining Congress in a 2017 special election as the representative for Montana’s at-large district, Gianforte has established himself as a frequent backer of legislation favorable to OOIDA’s agenda, including cosponsoring Texas lawmaker Brian Babin’s bills to delay the ELD mandate and to reform hours of service. Gianforte also was a lead cosponsor on HR 5948, the ELD exemption bill for motor carriers with 10 trucks and less.
Other bills cosponsored by Gianforte include:
In June, Gianforte also wrote a letter to the EPA Inspector General about possible collusion between Volvo and the Environmental Protection Agency about the glider kit repeal. As a result of that letter and others, the EPA’s Inspector General announced a formal investigation into the matter.
For his part, Verhoef says it’s important for OOIDA members to take time and meet their elected officials, whenever possible.
“They can put a name with a face, and a face with the association and then they know who makes up OOIDA,” he said. “I’d been meaning to call his office, but then I had this opportunity to meet face to face. What better way to say thank you than to shake his hand?”
Greg Grisolano, associate editor, joined Land Line in 2013. His passion is finding and telling compelling stories about the people who make up the trucking industry. Greg is a graduate of Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kan.