BIFMA INTERNATIONAL for BIFMA
What was lobbied
4 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Trade (domestic/foreign) TRD
Contacted Senator Gary Peters' office for information on China tariff exemption process. Urged an end to tariffs. Conference call with Mexico Desk of ITA on 8/20/19 for information on new certifications required by that country for imported products with electrical components.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| BRADLEY PETER MILLER | — |
Environment/Superfund ENV
Presented July 18 briefing and August 14 webinar to General Services Administration's IWAC staff on the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard and the LEVEL Certification Program.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| BRADLEY PETER MILLER | — |
Consumer Issues/Safety/Products CSP
Urged US Rep. Fred Upton to support HR 2647, The Safer Occupancy Furniture Flammability Act. The bill would make California's Technical Bulletin 117-2013 a national flammability standard.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| BRADLEY PETER MILLER | — |
Government Issues GOV
Advocated for GSA adherence to American National Standards in all purchasing systems. BIFMA, ANSI, and NIST representatives discussed the eCommerce pilot (Commercial Platforms Initiative) and procurement vehicles with micro-purchase thresholds using government credit cards on a 9/11/19 conference call. BIFMA argued that ANSI standards should never be waived, in any scenario. Safety and performance of products used by the federal workforce should be the highest priority and the technology should be powerful enough to assure that as opposed to not being able to factor it in as a basic requirement. Participated in a Coalition for Government Procurement meeting with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on July 15. GAO is preparing a report for Congress on Federal Prison Industries (FPI) and had asked for input from the Coalition's Furniture Committee in preparing the report. BIFMA supports the report and determination of all negative affects of FPI on the economy or private sector jobs as well as getting a true picture of the program's impact on recidivism. It has never been factually established that the program reduces the return of paroled individuals to prison solely because they worked in the prison industries program. Those selected to work in FPI are the least likely to return to prison anyway. It is a flawed data sample and the GAO should compare those numbers with recidivism rates for those who worked in libraries, kitchens, or elsewhere. It isn't even "work" that results in less recidivism. A very interesting study would look at those who would normally be chosen for a work program in a facility without a work program to track their recidivism rates. Our hunch is that it would still be less than for others in the same facility, while doing no work whatsoever, making the recidivism claims of FPI and others baseless. A more important evaluation of the program would be how many paroled participants get jobs upon release due to their training. Contacted US Senator Debbie Stabenow's office for information on Buy American Act and Presidential Executive Order that would make changes to domestic materials content levels of products purchased by the US Government.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| BRADLEY PETER MILLER | — |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.