Movers for America, a coalition of some 1,000 professional movers and independent owner-operators, issued a statement praising Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, ranking member Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), and Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) for including a provision in the annual defense policy bill requiring a Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit of a controversial plan by U.S Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) to overhaul the nation’s system of military moves. The provision passed the subcommittee with overwhelming bipartisan support. Read more
Transport Topics: Defense Bill Proposes GAO Review of Moving Contract
The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness included a provision in the annual defense policy bill that would require the Government Accountability Office to examine programs and procedures associated with the U.S. Transportation Command’s Global Household Goods Contract (GHC). The bill also would require the commander of the U.S. Transportation Command to update Congress this year on the program. Read more
ATA: DOD Analysis Gets an Unsatisfactory Review from Movers
The American Trucking Association is hitting back at false claims in the recent DOD and TRANSCOM blog post that again misrepresent customer satisfaction rates at just 77%. ATA points out the significant difference between what seems to be an intentionally misleading figure, and the true reading of TRANSCOM’s previously available public dashboard, which showed satisfaction rates at nearly 93%. Read more
What’s Wrong with GHC: One Mover’s Voice
Below is a brief message from one of our newer voices, Bryan Morby of Carlyle Van Lines in Missouri. Bryan wanted to underscore some of the major concerns that a lot of us share about the GHC, and he did a great job summarizing some of the pain points:
- Impact on Service Quality for Military Families: The GHC could affect the level of service provided to our military families. Their well-being and satisfaction should be at the forefront of any contractual changes.
- Service Contract Act Implications: The GHC will impose the Service Contract Act (SCA) which, as the industry understands it today, would not be possible for us to meet the SCA requirements. The added burdens and costs to comply with this act are unique to our sector and need to be clearly communicated. Companies rely on fair compensation and labor law compliance to sustain operations and support employees. The GHC could destabilize the household goods moving industry, leading to layoffs, closures, and service disruptions, impacting industry stakeholders and communities alike.
- GAO Audit and Legislative Action: We need to advocate for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit to be voted on and approved as part of the H.R.8070 – Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act. Additionally, it is essential that the GHC implementation is paused during this audit to ensure thorough review and consideration.
- Funding for Operational Success: To make the GHC program successful and guarantee quality moves for every military family, it is imperative that sufficient funds are allocated to those on the ground executing these moves. Adequate resources are essential for maintaining high service standards.
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The results of the industry survey will be released soon. Thanks to everyone who shared your thoughts!
