April 25 & 26 IWLA members from across the United States gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 2018 Spring Legislative Fly-in. This event gives attendees a crucial update about critical legislation and regulations that affect 3PL warehouse industry:

• NLRB’s Joint-Employer Rule: The BFI decision expanding the definition of joint-employer to include “indirect” and “potential control” still faces many challenges in the courts and with the NLRB. The hope for a reversal soon comes mostly from some NLRB members’ terms expiring, starting in August 2018. However, any NLRB decision can be reversed as often as administration changes. Actual legislation is needed to ensure clarity.

• Infrastructure Spending: The Highway Trust Fund is under threat of insolvency. The gas tax no longer provides enough funds and is politically problematic. Both the administration and Democrats have proposed infrastructure plans through state and local leveraging or as a $1 trillion federal expenditure, respectively. Experts see no solution passing soon.

• Industry Response to Increased Tariffs: Many IWLA members are concerned about the proposed steel and aluminum tariffs, as well as new tariffs on China. As a link in the global supply chain, our industry supports the lowering of trade barriers and the members at the Fly-in urged lawmakers that when thinking of trade, to view how the entire trading ecosystem is functioning, not just  about the number of imports and exports.
• Efforts to Combat the Truck Driver Shortage: Several bills, namely the DRIVE-Safe Act and WHEEL Act, have been proposed in the U.S. House to allow greater access and training for 18-21 year olds to obtain commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) and allow them to operate across state lines. Should these pass, they would go a long way to stemming the current driver shortage plaguing the trucking industry and introduce the next generation to good, high-paying jobs.

With 2018 elections approaching, a Republican Senatorial Committee polling expert discussed many U.S. Senate races. The event concluded with an afternoon of congressional visits to more than 20 U.S. Senators and Representatives at their offices on Capitol Hill. Members introduced their companies and our industry to lawmakers and educated them on the on issues important to our success.

Your active participation gives our industry a voice. To learn more about the IWLA Government Affairs program and how to get involved, contact Adam Block at ablock@IWLA.com.