IWLA Washington Representative Pat O’Connor will present on most pressing regulatory issues out of Washington.

The General Session Government Affairs Roundtable, Tuesday, March 25, at 9 to 10:30 a.m., in the Grand Saguaro East/West, is a must-see presentation. IWLA Washington Representative Pat O’Connor will start things off with a government affairs update and segue into an expert roundtable focusing on the top regulatory issues affecting warehouse-based third-party logistics companies right now.

IWLA Secretary Mark DeFabis, president & CEO of Integrated Distribution Services, Inc., will begin with the importance of advocacy to IWLA and its members. He will also touch on how members can best support the IWLA government affairs initiatives whether through participation in the IWLA Government Affairs Committee, financial support of the IWLA Political Action Committee, or engagement on the issues by voicing opinions on calls to action and submitting comments when prompted.

Next, O’Connor and Bruce Stoddard, CWLP, president of Parke Warehouses will discuss the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Stoddard, who specializes in non-temperature controlled food storage and handling, will share details of the act and his strategy for compliance.

Doug Sibila, CWLP, president of People’s Services, will discuss the latest regulations to come from the National Labor Relations Board and the new challenges posed for 3PLs in light of the re-issued amendments to “ambush”election regulations.

O’Connor and DeFabis will discuss the status of the highway reauthorization bill, which places funds toward much needed improvements to U.S. roads and bridges. They will dive into what reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs means for logistics and 3PL warehouses in relation to alleviating congestion and delivering goods more efficiently.

Doug Sampson, senior vice president of Acme Distribution Centers, Inc., and O’Connor will give a final update on the FDA Drug Quality and Security Act, including a detailed review of the 3PL role within the regulation and state vs. federal licensing requirements for prescription drugs.