BLET National President Mark Wallace and First Vice President Gary Best again met with Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) as part of their series of high-level meetings on Capitol Hill in July. They met with Senator Moreno back in January as well. Wallace and Best went to Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of BLET members and the top legislative and political priorities of the BLET and Teamsters Rail Conference.
Wallace personally thanked Senator Moreno for his support on the cross border issue. “Senator Moreno has been our Republican champion in the Senate on protecting American jobs and the Southern Border by preventing foreign train crews from operating in the United States. We look forward to working with Senator Moreno and his team to swiftly finalize the language of our cross border legislation and get that introduced in the Senate and moving,” President Wallace said.
During the meeting, President Wallace and First Vice President Best discussed with Senator Moreno the status of the Class I railroads using foreign train crews in the United States as well as Senator Moreno’s “Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026,” which would ban automobiles from China coming into the United States. BLET has endorsed that legislation because it would protect our transportation networks, including rail, from negative Chinese influence.
They also discussed the proposed UP-NS merger and the negative effects it would have in Ohio and elsewhere on workers, businesses like car dealerships, and the American taxpayer.
President Wallace invited Senator Moreno to visit the BLET National Division office in Independence, Ohio, to run the union’s new locomotive simulator, which will also be available for members and their families to run at both the Chicago regional meeting later this month and the upcoming National Convention in October.
“The BLET is willing to reach out across the aisle and work with elected leaders regardless of party affiliation in order to help protect our members’ jobs,” President Wallace said.