NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION for NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Oppose corporate tax rate increases; Extend EBITDA calculation for interest deductibility (H.R. 5371, S. 1077); oppose National Retail Sales Tax/VAT;;; Extend R&D; bonus depreciation.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Treasury, Dept of; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Natl Economic Council (NEC)

Bills named: H.R. 5371 (118th), S. 1077 (118th)

Banking BAN

Update House and Senate on interchange/swipe fee reform issues, including competitive routing and pending surcharge legislation in states; provide retailers perspective of issues in implementing mobile payment systems; privacy, data security and breach notification as it relates to sensitive financial data, including H.R. 1165, the Data Privacy Act; discussed views of retail industry regarding EMV transition, fraud costs, Chip and PIN, tokenization, encryption chargebacks, competition in debit routing and other payment innovation; Seeking support from House and Senate for passage of CARES Act; support for efforts to extend the Covered Business Method (CBM) review program at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) which expired September 15; support for Trade Credit Insurance S. 1838, Credit Card Competition Act H.R. 3881, Credit Card Competition Act

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Treasury, Dept of; SENATE; Federal Reserve System; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Bills named: S. 1838 (118th), H.R. 1165 (118th), H.R. 3881 (118th)

Health Issues HCR

Employer Reporting Requirements under the Affordable Care Act; Surprise Medical Billing Implementation; Creation of the National Patient Safety Board (NPSB); Pharmacy Benefit Management Reforms

Contacted: SENATE; Labor, Dept of (DOL); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

NLRB Joint Employer Regulations; DOL Joint Employer Regulations; DOL Independent Contractor Regulations; OSHA Walkaround Rule; DOL Overtime Rule; NLRB Election Procedures Rule; H.R. 842 and S. 420, the Protecting the Right to Organize ActH.R. 3400, the Small Businesses Before Bureaucrats Act; H.J. Res.98 and S.J. Res 49 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule relating to "Standard for Determining Joint Employer Status".

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Labor, Dept of (DOL)

Bills named: S.J.Res. 49 (118th), H.R. 842 (118th), S. 420 (118th), H.J.Res. 98 (118th)

Consumer Issues/Safety/Products CSP

Data Privacy and Security - communication of retail views regarding data privacy and security issues, including proposed legislation affecting the collection, use, security and disclosure of personal information and self-regulatory privacy programs providing protection for consumers, including the House Energy and Commerce Committee draft of the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA), and S. 1418, the Children and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act. Transatlantic Data Transfers - communication of retail views regarding the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and on-going EU-U.S. relations on these and related data protection regulatory issues. CPSC Oversight issues - communication regarding product safety issues; overall agency reviews on key issues.

Contacted: Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); SENATE; Federal Trade Commission (FTC); White House Office; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: S. 1418 (118th)

Education EDU

Career and technical education issues generally

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Immigration IMM

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Regulations; H-1B visas; H-2B visas; J-1 visas; DHS H-2B Regulations; H.R.6, American Dream and Promise Act of 2021; H.R. 1325 and S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023; H.R. 3599, the DIGNITY Act; H.R. 3734 the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act; H.R.4708, H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers Act

Contacted: Labor, Dept of (DOL); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: S. 255 (118th), H.R. 3734 (118th), H.R. 1325 (118th), H.R. 6 (118th), H.R. 4708 (118th), H.R. 3599 (118th)

Fuel/Gas/Oil FUE

Issues relating to the Renewable Fuel Standard; concerns with RFS renewable biodiesel renewable volume obligation contributing to soybean oil shortage.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); SENATE

Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.) FOO

Discussions with Food & Drug Administration regarding food safety issues, general; Discussions with Centers for Disease Control and Food & Drug Administration regarding norovirus prevention in foodservice settings. Requesting inclusion of language in FY24 Agriculture Appropriations bill to require FDA to work collaboratively with industry to address concerns with FMSA 204 traceability rule. Requesting inclusion of language in FY24 Agriculture Appropriations bill relating to FDA sodium reduction guidance.

Contacted: Food & Drug Administration (FDA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); SENATE

Insurance INS

PRIA (calling for the enactment of a Pandemic Risk Insurance Act); Business Interruption Insurance issues; support for Trade Credit Insurance

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice LAW

S 140/HR 895- Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023- support, S.139- Organized Retail Crime Center Authorization Act of 2023 - support, Retail views on organized retail crime and related issues.

Contacted: SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; White House Office; Justice, Dept of (DOJ)

Bills named: H.R. 895 (118th), S. 139 (118th)

Energy/Nuclear ENG

Urging Department of Energy to work with states to develop and improve wholesale electricity markets to reduce energy costs for consumers.

Contacted: Energy, Dept of

Waste (hazardous/solid/interstate/nuclear) WAS

Comments on discussion draft legislation on a federal beverage container recycling and redemption program.

Contacted: SENATE

Transportation TRA

Ocean Shipping Reform Act implementation; H.R. 1836 - Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act of 2023 - support passage; Transportation related issues - freight policy, truck productivity, infrastructure funding; Port related issues - Port congestion, detention/demurrage, support for FMC Interpretive Rule on Detention and Demurrage; H.R. 3408; the DRIVE Safe Integrity Act - seeking support for; West Coast port labor negotiations - impact of disruption on retail; Railroad labor negotiations - impact of disruption on retail; HJRes 100 - support passage.

Contacted: Federal Maritime Commission; Maritime Administration (MARAD); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; President of the U.S.; Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; SENATE; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Natl Economic Council (NEC)

Bills named: H.R. 1836 (118th), H.J.Res. 100 (118th), H.R. 3408 (118th)

Trade (domestic/foreign) TRD

Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Implementation - communicate retail views H.R.6121 - Eliminating Global Market Distortions to Protect American Jobs Act of 2021 - Oppose; Support efforts to renew and modernize the Generalized System of Preferences; Support efforts to renew the Miscellaneous Trade Bill; Communicate retail views on the importance of international trade and the global value chain; Support elimination of the China 301 tariffs, a renewal of the China 301 tariff exclusion process and reinstatement of expired exclusions; Communicate retail views on the issue of forced labor in the supply chain; S. 1421/H.R. 6299 - COOL Online Act - Oppose S. 125/H.R. 638 China Trade Relations Act of 2023 - oppose Customs reauthorization - communicate retail views on trade facilitation and enforcement

Contacted: Treasury, Dept of; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; White House Office; U.S. Customs & Border Protection; Natl Economic Council (NEC); State, Dept of (DOS); Small Business Administration (SBA); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); SENATE; U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

Bills named: H.R. 6121 (118th), H.R. 638 (118th), S. 1421 (118th), H.R. 6299 (118th), S. 125 (118th)