SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FLORISTS for SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FLORISTS

Agriculture AGR

H.R. 2419-Farm Bill-Specialty Crops, research funding, crop insurance, pest and disease management, conservation, statistics. Quarantine 37: Work with APHIS at USDA to ensure foreign pests and diseases will not come into the U.S. EPA Worker Protection Standards: Work with the Environmental Protection Agency to help make these work better for our industry. Methyl Bromide and other agricultural chemicals. Work with EPA, USDA, and State Department to ensure continued availability. H.R. 2419-Research Funding for Floriculture: Annual bill setting appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. H.R. 4088, S. 2368, H.R. 371, S. 340, H.R. 1843-Immigration Reform: Legislation to reform H-2A Agricultural Guestworker Program and other immigration laws. H.R. 2380, H.R. 4042, H.R.4235-Taxes: Tax relief for small business including agriculture including Estate Tax Reform. H.R. 5264, H.R. 5742-International Trade: Work on general trade issues and free trade agreements including Andean TPA and Colombia FTA. Work with USDA and Congress on phytosanitary issues, plant pest and disease control, and quarantines. Work with DHS, USDA and Congress on border and port issues. H.R. 2419: Farm Bill- Work to secure specialty crops inclusion. Work with USDA to ensure continued agricultural statistics cover floral industry. Work with USDA to improve crop insurance coverage for floriculture growers. Emergency Agriculture Relief Act (EARA)

Contacted: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); SENATE; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Interior, Dept of (DOI); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); State, Dept of (DOS); Small Business Administration (SBA); Treasury, Dept of; Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 2380 (110th), H.R. 371 (110th), H.R. 2419 (110th), H.R. 4042 (110th), H.R. 4235 (110th), H.R. 5742 (110th), H.R. 1843 (110th), H.R. 4088 (110th), H.R. 5264 (110th), S. 2368 (110th), S. 340 (110th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

H.R. 3161-Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative, USDA Budget Placeholder in FY 2008 Budget Resolution for Estate Tax Reform

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA); Treasury, Dept of; Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); State, Dept of (DOS); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Small Business Administration (SBA); SENATE; Interior, Dept of (DOI)

Bills named: H.R. 3161 (110th)

Small Business SMB

H.R. 2380, H.R. 4042, H.R. 4235-Estate Tax: Bills to repeal or reform the Estate Tax See attached page... H.R. 976-Tax Relief: Tax relief for small business H.R. 2049, S. 1244-OSHA Reform including legislation to streamline regulatory burdens for small business. H.R. 3660, S. 2239-Health Care: Legislation to allow self-employed individuals to deduct health insurance costs in computing self-employment taxes, and other health care reform legislation. H.Con.Res 99, S. Con Res 70-Reg Reform: Tax Gap. H.R. 4088, S. 2368, H.R. 371, S. 340, H.R. 1843-Immigration Reform: Legislation to reform the H-2A Agricultural Guestworker Program and other immigration laws. H.R. 3396, S. 34-Streamlined Sales Tax legislation. H.R. 5546, S.3086-Credit Card Fair Fee Act. H.R. 6210, S. 2795-SHOP Act. The Small Business Health Care Options Program. S. 2818-Small business health plans. Merchant Card Reporting and Taxpayer Identification (TIN) Collection Emergency Agriculture Relief Act (EARA) Oil and Gas Prices H.R. 800-Employee Free Choice Act H.R. 6248- Credit Card Interchange Fee Act of 2008 Velazquez CHOICE Act Placeholder in FY 2008 Budger Resolution for Estate Tax Reform H.R. 5804- Taxpayer Responsability, Accountability and Consistency Act.

Contacted: Executive Office of the President (EOP); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; State, Dept of (DOS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA); Treasury, Dept of; U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); SENATE; Small Business Administration (SBA); Interior, Dept of (DOI)

Bills named: H.R. 4235 (110th), H.Con.Res. 99 (110th), S. 3086 (110th), H.R. 2380 (110th), H.R. 5546 (110th), S. 34 (110th), S. 2239 (110th), H.R. 371 (110th), H.R. 4088 (110th), H.R. 1843 (110th), H.R. 6248 (110th), H.R. 976 (110th), S.Con.Res. 70 (110th), H.R. 3396 (110th), H.R. 5804 (110th), H.R. 6210 (110th), S. 2368 (110th), S. 2818 (110th), S. 2795 (110th), S. 340 (110th), H.R. 2049 (110th), H.R. 800 (110th), S. 1244 (110th), H.R. 4042 (110th), H.R. 3660 (110th)

Trade (domestic/foreign) TRD

H.R. 5742-U.S. Colombia FTA H.R. 5264-Extension of the Andean Trade Preference Act Phytosanitary issues in trade agreements

Contacted: Interior, Dept of (DOI); Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA); Treasury, Dept of; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Agriculture, Dept of (USDA); Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Small Business Administration (SBA); SENATE; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Labor, Dept of (DOL); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); State, Dept of (DOS)

Bills named: H.R. 5264 (110th), H.R. 5742 (110th)