Bill Overview
Title: COVID–19 Supply Chain Relief Act
Description: This bill establishes in the Executive Office of the President an Office of Supply Chain Policy, headed by a Supply Chain Czar appointed by the President. Such office shall coordinate a national response to supply chain disruptions, shortages, and increased prices; serve as a resource for states as they deploy unused COVID-19 relief funds to address supply chain bottlenecks; and appoint, oversee, and coordinate among regional supply chain leaders. Unobligated COVID-19 relief funds may be made available to states, territories, or tribal governments to help address supply chain disruptions and labor shortages by undertaking one or more of the following: promoting employment in the trucking and logistics industries, implementing apprenticeship programs to recruit more women and military veterans to become licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers, undertaking port and shipping infrastructure projects, and providing relief from other detrimental economic impacts of supply chain disruptions. The Department of Commerce must issue guidance, as needed, to define the scope of the allowable activities listed above. Further, Commerce shall publish and submit to Congress a report on (1) supply chain points of congestion or blockages; (2) underlying causes of supply chain disruptions, shortages, and delays; and (3) other supply chain shortcomings which could be remedied with public or private investment.
Sponsors: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Target Audience
Population: People reliant on global supply chains
Estimated Size: 330000000
- The global economy relies heavily on robust supply chains, which involve various countries, businesses, and industries. Therefore, any act that aims to address supply chain disruptions will have a broad impact.
- The logistics and transportation sectors are crucial parts of the supply chain. Initiatives targeting these areas will affect workers within these industries.
- By promoting employment in trucking and logistics and implementing programs for new drivers, the bill is likely to impact individuals seeking employment or training in these fields.
- Infrastructure projects at ports and shipping channels impact not only the local economies but also have broader implications for international trade.
- The bill's measures to alleviate supply chain disruptions will also affect businesses and consumers, potentially stabilizing prices and improving availability of goods.
Reasoning
- Efforts to stabilize supply chains will primarily affect people in logistics and transportation industries, who may see improved job prospects.
- Improved supply chain efficiency can lead to stabilized prices, affecting business owners and consumers alike, likely boosting wellbeing.
- Infrastructure improvements at ports can result in long-term economic benefits for local communities.
- Short-term impacts may include job creation within trucking and logistics, directly benefiting those seeking employment in these fields.
- Some individuals might not be directly impacted by the policy but could experience indirect benefits like stabilized market prices.
Simulated Interviews
Logistics Coordinator (Houston, TX)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy sounds like it'll help make my job easier by reducing bottlenecks.
- Getting unused funds to improve logistics and ports is crucial right now.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Truck Driver (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful the government will support more drivers and jobs.
- Apprenticeship programs would be a big help to people like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Small Business Owner (Columbus, OH)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Stabilizing supply chains would definitely help with stock issues.
- Not sure how much this will directly affect my store but any bit helps.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Port Operations Manager (New York, NY)
Age: 53 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any upgrades to port infrastructure will be beneficial.
- There's a pressing need for better coordination among regions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
IT Specialist (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 39 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I probably won't see much change personally.
- It's good to know there's a systematic approach though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Veteran (Seattle, WA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The transition programs could offer me a good career.
- I hope there's enough funding for training veterans.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Freight Broker (Chicago, IL)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- About time they look into these blockages, it affects my business.
- My clients will benefit from a smoother system.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Marketing Manager (Dallas, TX)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improving supply chains could stabilize our product flow.
- I see this as indirectly positive for my work, but not life-changing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Port Authority Employee (Miami, FL)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Investment in ports is long overdue and this could make a big difference.
- My main involvement now is guiding younger workers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Teacher (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 36 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It’s an interesting policy I can bring to classroom discussions.
- Hard to say how it'll impact me directly, but education on the topic is crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $80000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $90000000)
Year 2: $82000000 (Low: $72000000, High: $92000000)
Year 3: $84000000 (Low: $74000000, High: $94000000)
Year 5: $88000000 (Low: $78000000, High: $98000000)
Year 10: $95000000 (Low: $85000000, High: $105000000)
Year 100: $150000000 (Low: $130000000, High: $170000000)
Key Considerations
- Availability of unused COVID-19 relief funds may reduce the net new federal expenditures.
- The effectiveness of coordination among federal and regional supply chain leaders will significantly determine administrative costs and benefits.
- Maintaining clear communication among supply chain stakeholders is crucial for successful implementation.
- Development and execution of apprenticeship programs will require collaboration with state-level labor and industry organizations.