Plastics Champions Take On Capitol Hill

Fri July 8, 2016

By Delphine Gisagara

On June 22, 2016, members of the plastics industry met with lawmakers during the 2016 Plastics Industry Fly-In, an event that gives professionals the opportunity to talk about important issues impacting plastics with our nation’s lawmakers. Nine plastics industry trade associations invited their members to come out and storm the Hill to have their voices heard. At the 2016 Plastics Industry Fly-In, first-time attendees began building relationships with members of Congress and their staffers, while returning participants were able to discuss progress and address new challenges.

This year’s Fly-In kicked off with an evening reception, followed by a briefing the next day featuring plastics industry experts who spoke about key issues that attendees would be bringing to the attention of lawmakers on the Hill later that day, including trade, tax and labor issues.

Equipped with the latest updates on the industry’s most pressing issues, the Plastics Champions left for their Hill meetings – but not before capturing a group picture in front of the U.S. Capitol.

The 2016 Plastics Industry Fly-In Attendees on the steps of the Capitol.

From left to right: SPI’s Katie Masterson and Kiran Mand, Rep. Billy Long (R-MO), and Jarden Plastics’ Jessica Bursack.

Plastics Champions participated in a total of 99 SPI-arranged Hill meetings with members of Congress and/or their staff. Key industry recommendations included:

  • Passing the Trans-Pacific Partnership which offers important growth opportunities for the plastics industry.
  • Blocking the Department of Labor and National Labor Relations Board from enforcing new rules and standards intended to curb employer and employee flexibility and rights.
  • Moving corporate tax reform that allows for business certainty and encourages investment.                                            
  • Supporting energy policy that encourages prudent development and utilization of domestic natural resources.
  • Using Congressional oversight authority to increase transparency and adherence to sound science and risk-based decisions in regulatory agency rulemaking.

When their meetings concluded, the Plastics Champions headed from the Hill to an evening reception for a chance to network with fellow members of the plastics industry and members of Congress.

SPI members left D.C. with the tools and connections necessary to follow up with Congressional offices to supply additional information on pressing issues, schedule plant tours with elected officials in their home states and continue an ongoing. The meetings are just a starting point for what SPI hopes will be fruitful, continued relationships.

Fly-In Attendee Monica Filyaw of PolyQuest with Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC).

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