News

ISSA LARU—What Do the Midterm Results Mean for the Cleaning Industry?

Welcome to the latest ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update, a biweekly roundup of the public policy issues currently impacting the full cleaning supply chain. This update touches on what the 2022 election results mean for the cleaning industry, EPA seeking information to support indoor air quality, the Healthy Workplaces Coalition launching a new website, and more.

Want to stay informed about critical government affairs impacting the industry? Sign up here to have the ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update emailed directly to you every other week.

And be sure to check out the latest installment of our video series, Cleaning Is Essential, with ISSA Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft, to learn more about the top three advocacy issues impacting the cleaning industry right now.

ISSA Advocacy

Free ISSA Webinar: What the 2022 Elections Mean for the Cleaning Industry
Register now for the free ISSA webinar What the 2022 Elections Mean for the Cleaning Industry, 12 pm to 1 pm CT on Wednesday, December 7, to learn:

• How the 2022 midterm-election results at the federal and state levels are likely to affect the full spectrum of the cleaning industry
• What are likely to be the priority legislative and regulatory issues for the industry in the new year
• How ISSA Government Affairs intends to impact these issues on behalf of the industry
• And much more

You’ll also have the opportunity to have your most pressing government affairs questions answered as part of the live webinar. This informative and interactive virtual event will feature ISSA Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft and ISSA Federal Lobbyist Laurie Flanagan. Save your seat today!

EPA Seeks Information to Support Indoor Air Quality
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeks public comment to inform efforts by the agency and others to “support the widespread adoption of actions that lead to improvements in indoor air quality in the nation’s building stock, with a particular emphasis on schools and commercial buildings, to help reduce disease transmission indoors and improve public health.” EPA will review information received during this public comment period to “support the potential development, improvement, and implementation of technical assistance efforts, including tools, training, guidance, and other strategies to support sustained ventilation, filtration, air cleaning, and other indoor air quality improvements in buildings.” The agency invites comment from the “broad array of individuals and organizations with knowledge and expertise relating to the built environment and health, indoor air quality, epidemiology, disease transmission, social sciences, and other disciplines, and from the general public.” Comments must be submitted to EPA by December 5, 2022. Comments also may be submitted to Bill Balek at [email protected] by November 30 for possible inclusion in ISSA’s comments to EPA.

Healthy Workplaces Coalition Launches New Website
The Healthy Workplaces Coalition, of which ISSA is a leading Steering Committee member, recently launched a new website to advance federal policies promoting healthy workplaces and help the public, policymakers, and businesses understand the imperative of workplace health and safety. Learn more about this coalition and become a complimentary member here.

Join ISSA-Hygieia in Ending Period Poverty
Did you know?

• 86% of women have started their period unexpectedly in public without supplies.
• 84% of–more than 4 in 5–teens have either missed class time or know someone who has missed class time because they did not have access to period products.
• 1 in 3 low-income women report missing work, school, or similar events due to a lack of access to period supplies.

ISSA and the Hygieia Network believe that menstrual care solutions should be as available in away-from-home bathrooms as soap, toilet paper, and paper towels. If you agree, join the movement now to End Period Poverty and receive related alerts and news to stay up to date on this important issue. It’s free and only takes a moment to sign up here.

Regulatory

Second Rail Union Rejects Deal, Raising Strike Threat Anew
Another union voted down a proposed contract with the freight railroad industry, again pushing the nation toward a possibly economically devastating rail strike as soon as this month, Politico reported. This latest vote by the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen makes it the second rail union to reject a compromise since September 15, when eleventh-hour dealmaking by the Biden administration averted the threat of an immediate work stoppage.

Shippers, Carriers Urge Changes to Federal Maritime Commission Proposal
Federal regulators are “caught in the crossfire” of calls from ocean carriers and shippers seeking changes to a proposed rule affecting how vessel space is allocated for import and export containers, according to American Shipper. The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission is using the rulemaking process to define what constitutes an unreasonable refusal by carriers to deal or negotiate when booking freight capacity with their customers. But the bulk of the roughly 25 comments from both shippers and carriers are unhappy with the notice of proposed rulemaking as outlined, with carriers’ ability or inability to make a profit a major concern.

White House Increases ‘Made in America’ Requirements for Federal Procurements
The Biden administration announced that it will increase requirements for federally procured goods to be sourced domestically, a step officials say will boost U.S. manufacturing and supply chains, according to The Hill. The administration will unveil an update that 60 percent of federally procured content must be made in the United States, up from 55 percent under the Buy American Act.