Planning for the September 17-19 IWLA Legislative Fly-in is in full swing. Members from across the United States come to Washington, D.C., for three days of regulatory and legislative discussions with D.C. experts and meet-and-greets with senators and congressmen.

2014 is an election year. IWLA is organizing top-notch Fly-in event to boost member participation just before the fall elections. It is essential that the IWLA-PAC makes its presence known by meeting with key players each fall.

The 2014 Fly-in agenda topics including OSHA and temporary workforces, food safety update, motor carrier hiring standards, the Highway Trust Fund, export promotion, trade in service agreements, labor relations, freight updates, election outlook, and government affairs update. In addition, IWLA-PAC members will have one-on-one time with Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), during an IWLA-PAC Dinner. Sen. Alexander is the likely candidate to head the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions this year, and IWLA members are eager to introduce themselves.

The IWLA Chemical Council will meet Sept. 19 to discuss/review the Responsible Warehousing Protocol program and outline new goals and objectives. Also, experts will discuss new developments of the Occupation Safety Hazard Administration (OSHA) Global Harmonization Standards and the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Program Authorization and Accountability Act. Attendees will find out more about a recently introduced bill, by Reps. Patrick Meehan, (R-PA), Gene Green (D-TX), and Michael McCaul (R-TX) that authorizes CFATS through 2017.

Special education event: Do you deal with pharmaceuticals or medical devices? Also on Sept. 19, IWLA offers a special education session just for warehouse professionals in organizations that handle pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Faculty will include an expert from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration discussing how to handle requirements of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act. If you handle these products you will need to make adjustments in your warehouse. Do not miss this event.

The Fly-in and ancillary meeting are your chance to get involved in government affairs by meeting your legislative representatives. IWLA will arrange meetings, design talking points and collateral to leave behind— please join us. Put a face to the issues and start to build a relationship with the decision makers. Reserve your room now, before the Aug. 19, 2014, deadline.