Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1498036
PalletCentral • March-April 2023 11 Hallie Fuchs is manager, public affairs. She also helps manage the NWPCA Political Action Committee for the Association. She may be reached at hfuchs@palletcentral.com or by calling 703.519.6104. Jason Ortega is vice president, public affairs, at NWPCA. He also manages the NWPCA Political Action Committee for the Association. He may be reached at jortega@palletcentral.com or by calling 703.519.6104. gives our public affairs team a mandate on legislative priorities. e 118th Policy Priorities for the NWPCA are as follows: 1. Small Business: Pro-Growth Policies: Small businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. ey create two-thirds of net new jobs and drive U.S. innovation and competitiveness. Small businesses account for 44% of U.S. economic activity. Our industry includes nearly 3,000 primarily small businesses operating in all 50 states and almost every Congressional district. As a result, NWPCA supports federal policies that allow businesses to thrive, such as: • Increased access to capital; • Halting the increase of civil penalties every year; • Regulatory reform to make compliance with federal regulations less burdensome; and • Trade policies that level the playing field for small businesses. 2. Infrastructure & Transportation: Wood pallets are a vital part of U.S. supply chain competitiveness. NWPCA supports regulations that ensure road safety and are responsive to the needs of American truck drivers. We support Congressional oversight to ensure no waste, fraud, or abuse. We further support spending these dollars on projects that help keep America's supply chain moving quickly and efficiently. 3. Tax Policy: e tax code is in desperate need of reform. It is too long and complex, burdening small businesses across America. Small businesses spend 2.5 billion hours complying with IRS rules yearly, and every hour spent is an hour they don't spend marketing their products or growing their business. NWPCA specifically supports: • Lawmakers should allow businesses to take 100% deductions for equipment and machinery purchases in the tax year of purchase. • Allow manufacturers to deduct 100% of their R&D expenses in the same year incurred. • Congress must reverse the new, stricter limit on interest deductibility and return to the prior standard based on earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization. 4. Immigration Reform: Our immigration system needs reform. Several studies have analyzed the positive impact immigration could have on addressing the nationwide labor shortage. Congress should establish a modern, well-functioning system that reforms the immigrant and non-immigrant visa programs, allowing for an influx of workers Washington Fly-In With legislative priorities in tow, the NWPCA Washington Fly-In is back! This two-day event, June 6-7, 2023 will allow members to meet their representatives face-to-face. Registration includes two congressional receptions and a full day of meetings on the Hill! To learn more about the Fly-In and register, please check out www.palletcentral.com/flyin. See you in June! to support our world-class manufacturing sector. 5. Workforce Development: NWPCA members support policies that foster the best opportunities for workers to succeed and job creators to thrive. e United States continues to grapple with a workforce with millions of open positions but needs more workers to fill these roles. e wooden pallet industry further supports a fair and reasonable regulatory process that fosters public-private partnerships to help solve these talent gaps while reducing burdens on small business owners. iStock/Koshenyamka