32 WESTERN PALLET
The new policies will be slow to come to fruition, suggested Paul. Some likely will be challenged in court. The U.S. is a “litigious society,” he noted, and federal agencies are prone to be sued by various interest groups. “That really stymies a lot of what can be done.”
There will still be some focus on Obamacare and healthcare, he said. “The threat of repeal and replace bills has been greatly diminished but are not completely off the table.”
Representing the NWPCA, Paul said his firm’s focus will be on legislation that is likely to pass and relationship building in order to favorably impact legislation that is likely to have an affect on the pallet industry.
The NWPCA’s legislative agenda for 2018 includes workforce development, said Paul, who noted the White House has established a task force to create more apprenticeship opportunities. It is one of of the more bipartisan issues facing Congress, he noted. There is a clear need for more career technical education, and there are multiple bills pending before Congress dealing with the issue. “There’s a lot of opportunity,” said Paul.
In addition, engaging overall will be an important component of the work that his firm does in representing the NWPCA.
Forest management also will be a big priority, particularly for Western lawmakers, in light of major forest fires last year. Multiple bills already have been introduced, and Paul’s firm is scrutinizing them and monitoring what components are likely to be advanced.
Forest management also will be a big priority, particularly for Western lawmakers, in light of major forest fires last year.
Although his firm ordinarily does not track legislation at the state level, Paul noted that Republican-led states likely will take their cue from the federal government and roll back regulations, while Democrat-led states probably will step in to fill in what they perceive as gaps in federal regulations and oversight.
For much of the year, Republicans will be touting the success of the tax cuts they passed in 2017 and continuing to advance business-friendly bills and regulations. Paul predicted the first six months “are going to be very fast-paced.” Issues like workforce development, regulatory reform, and long term fixes to forest management will be tackled behind the scenes.
Paul offered suggestions for what individuals and their business can do to impact the legislative or regulatory process. “It is very important to