PPB July 2019

Industry Leaders Hold 300-Plus Meetings On Capitol Hill Almost 80 PPAI leaders and other industry professionals traveled to Washington, D.C., in May for PPAI’s Legislative Education and Action Day (L.E.A.D.), now in its 10th year. During the annual event, which ran May 15-16, participants conducted more than 300 meetings with senators, representatives and their legislative staffs on Capitol Hill to discuss pending legislation and issues relevant to the promotional products industry, and presented Reps. During the event, PPAI leadership also presented Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) with the Association’s 2019 Legislator of the Year award. The program began with lunch on Wednesday, May 15, followed by an informative presentation by Paula Calimafde, Esq., of the Small Business Legislative Council and a partner at the law firm of Paley Rothman. After a refresher on tips for talking with members of Congress and their staffs, Calimafde updated listeners on several key pieces of legislation, including state sales tax, health care, social security legislation, estate tax and retirement plans. “As a first-time L.E.A.D.-er, I was impressed by the process of meeting and dialoging with the Michigan legislators,” says Sandra Kelley, chief operating officer of Prestige Promotions Powered by Proforma in Burton, Michigan, one of 10 first-time attendees. “Out of four appointments, we met with two U.S. Representatives and two staffers. All were receptive to our issues, understood and related to our industry and fully embraced our ask to support legislation that would allow the promotional products industry to continue to grow and thrive.” L.E.A.D. participants came to Washington, D.C., with many subjects to address with legislators and their staff, most importantly was the increase in tariffs—from 10 percent to 25 percent—on $250 billion of Chinese imports announced the week before, and the Trump administration’s announcement that it might be extending those tariffs to a further $300 billion in Chinese products, essentially everything imported from the country. Also top of mind in the conversations was elevating legislators’ understanding of global value chains and the industry’s involvement in them, preserving independent contractor designations and deductibility of advertising by James Khattak At L.E.A.D. this year, PPAI leadership presented Warren Davidson, left, (R-OH) and Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) with the Association’s 2019 Legislator of the Year award. In its 10th year, L.E.A.D. attendance has grown to include almost 80 participants, holding more than 300 meetings on Capitol Hill. 92 | JULY 2019 | CONNECT