Archive for April 2022

Senate Passes Ocean Shipping Reform Act The Senate passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), a bill supported by ASA intended to unlock port bottlenecks that have snarled shipments of many farm commodities. The bill must now be conferenced with the previously-passed House version of OSRA, which is more prescriptive in regulating ocean carriers. Return…

COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Act Congress attempted to reach a bipartisan deal on a pandemic aid package and pass it before they leave town this Thursday for a two-week recess. The White House request for $22.5 billion in new funding for COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and testing was whittled down to about $10 billion after a round…

There is Still Time to Fill Out the Communications Survey! We’re Listening. Raise Your Voice Nothing beats one-on-one conversation to spur ideas and connections. That was reinforced at SUBExcel a couple weeks ago as we talked with a lot of our members about how to make YOUR association better. Only problem is that we spoke…

Restaurant and Small Business Aid This week, the House attempted to vote on legislation that would give the Small Business Administration (SBA) additional funds to assist restaurants and small businesses that did not receive relief from previous COVID-19 aid packages. The measure would allocate $42 billion to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and $13 billion…

Legalizing Cannabis On April 1, by a vote of 220-204, the House passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, legislation to decriminalize cannabis at the federal level.  By decriminalizing cannabis at the federal level, experts say the bill would eliminate the conflict between state and federal marijuana laws. The bill would also establish procedures…