With 16 deepwater ports, Florida is a hub for worldwide trade and an essential link in our nation’s supply chain. Four of these ports—Port Everglades, PortMiami, Port Tampa Bay, and JAXPORT—are impacted by the International Longshoreman’s Association strike and the inaction of the Biden-Harris Administration. Disrupting the distribution of food, equipment, and supplies as the Southeast U.S. recovers from Hurricane Helene is unacceptable. Floridians need a reliable, steady supply of resources and building materials to keep their families fed and rebuild their homes and businesses. Therefore, at my direction: ✅The Florida National Guard and Florida State Guard will be deployed to ports affected by the strike to maintain order and, where possible, resume operations at ports which are otherwise shut down. ✅The Florida Department of Transportation will waive the collection of tolls and fees as well as size and weight restrictions for commercial vehicles, which will help expedite the transportation of goods from our ports while offsetting operational costs. ✅The Florida Highway Patrol will manage the flow of traffic from all Florida seaports as needed to further expedite the flow of goods held up by the strike. FHP will provide law enforcement escorts for commercial motor vehicles upon request. Unlike the federal government, Florida is taking decisive action to ensure that our economy continues to function and that victims of Hurricane Helene will have access to what they need to rebuild.