TRIBUTE TO JACKIE REED Speaker: Senator Roger Wicker Publication: Congressional Record Date: 25 September 2024 Subjects: American Government , Trucking Topics: Jackie Reed, National Truck Driving Championships

Mr. WICKER. Madam President, on behalf of the people of Mississippi, I commend the accomplishments and career of Jackie Reed.

Jackie is a veteran driver known for his lofty standards of care. The Collinsville, MS, resident has notched 3 million safe miles in his 34 years behind the wheel, and he has been increasingly recognized as a leader in the Nation's vital trucking industry. His lifelong commitment to excellence has made our highways safer and helped power the American economy.

For the past few years, Jackie has competed at the National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships. The event--known as the ``Super Bowl of Safety''--has consistently demonstrated his knowledge of safety requirements, his industry awareness, and his driving skills. In 2022, he secured the Mississippi Grand Champion award in the three-axle category. He returned the next year, finishing second place in the State's two-axle group.

In 2024, Jackie topped all his previous achievements. He was named America's top truck driver, besting 421 other elite contestants from almost every State. Jackie earned the Bendix Grand Champion title, and he also won first place in the tank truck vehicle class.

Jackie says he has won big awards because he has paid ``attention to the small stuff.'' He scours the Facts for Drivers guidebook. He diligently inspects his truck. That level of detail pays off in trophies, and it also benefits Americans nationwide. Jackie's careful driving helps deliver goods to consumers, and it keeps his fellow drivers from accidents along the way.

Mississippi is lucky to have such an outstanding representative on the national stage. It is for his decades of distinction, his many achievements, and his continued quality that I commend Jackie Reed today.