By: Steven Harris, Director, Policy Development and Regulatory Compliance, Food Marketing Institute
The world still has two days before the new administration takes office, but the 115th Congress was sworn-in over two weeks ago. Republicans held on to majority control of both the House and Senate, and lawmakers reelected Paul Ryan (R-WI) as Speaker of the House, while Senate Democrats have a new leader in Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) following the retirement of Harry Reid.
The House and Senate calendars suggest that we can expect an ambitious legislative schedule for 2017, but much remains to be seen in how the incoming administration will interact with congressional leadership. Most of the committee assignments have been announced for the new legislative session, and Senate committees of jurisdiction have already begun the process of holding nomination hearings for some of President-elect Trump’s cabinet positions. With its “advice and consent” power, the Senate must approve the incoming cabinet picks with the support of a 51-vote majority.
FMI is in the process of surveying its members to ensure that we are accurately representing the industry’s priorities in Washington. These priorities will also help lawmakers better understand which policy decisions will have an impact on the business operations of the food retail industry, an industry that has representation in every state and congressional district across the country. Given the leadership in Washington, we can expect to see legislative action on important yet complex issues like health care and tax reform, among many others.
Our portfolio of issues continues to expand, so it is important for you and your company to stay informed. FMI publishes a government relations report for its members that provides a detailed overview of the public policy developments from the past week. Please sign up for FMI’s GR Report or one of our many other policy newsletters if you or a representative from your company wish to receive updates on FMI’s public policy and advocacy work.
FMI will continue to represent the supermarket industry in Washington as issues new and old are debated in the halls of Congress and in the regulatory agencies. We look forward to seeing many of you come visit your member of Congress to tell your stories on behalf of the industry. Please join us for Day in Washington, May 2-4, 2017 and share your voice on Capitol Hill.
Helpful Congressional Links:
- Congress.gov
- Senate Leadership
- House Leadership
- Senate Committee Assignments
- House Committee Assignments
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