In a bipartisan effort, Congressmen Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Jim Costa (D-CA) are urging their House colleagues to join them in supporting a resolution that urges the president to “use all tools at his disposal” to end the West Coast port dispute. This would include consider invoking the Taft-Hartley Act.

The four Congressmen said the West Coast Port issue is “one of the gravest threats to our nation right now. We are seeing businesses, farmers and manufacturers affected all across the country. The slowdown is not just a West Coast problem but a national problem.” According to the Congressmen, the West Coast Port labor slowdown is reducing agriculture exports by $1.75 billion per month. Earlier this month, more than 80 Congressmen sent a letter to the port management and the union urging a quick settlement of the labor issues.