NATM Regulatory Roundup Goes Virtual NATM Trailer Dealer Committee:

Tracks NATM Regulatory Roundup Goes Virtual

By Kendra Ansley, NATM Executive Director

The 2021 NATM Regulatory Roundup & Capitol Hill Visits are scheduled for Sept. 14 and Sept. 22, respectively. Along with the Convention & Trade Show, this is one of NATM’s most important events of the year. The Regulatory Roundup is a speaker series that, in the past, has featured Congressional staffers, officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and experts from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Capitol Hill Visits are meetings with legislators discussing industry needs and educating Members of Congress about the impact of the industry on the economy and in local communities.

With continued COVID-19 meeting restrictions in Washington, D.C., the 2021 event will be entirely virtual again. All NATM Members and Dealer Affiliates are invited to participate in the Regulatory Roundup on Sept. 14. For those individuals who are interested in what’s happening in Washington, D.C., and within federal agencies, this is the perfect time to get a feel for the event, usually hosted in person, without investing in a trip to the Capitol. As of this writing, the current speaker lineup includes Congressional Members and staffers to talk about infrastructure, as well as speakers from either NHTSA or the Department of Transportation, a workforce shortage expert, and a maritime supply chain expert. To see the up-to-date slate of speakers and sign up to attend, visit www.NATM.com/regulatory_roundup.html.

Meetings with legislators will happen virtually on Sept. 22, though the sign-up period has closed. The NATM Government Affairs Committee has established talking points to ensure the needs of the industry are being heard. Talking points for 2021 are as follows:

• Trailers as “motor vehicles”—educating legislators that, by definition, trailers are motor vehicles and as such any legislation using the term “motor vehicle” includes trailers— an often unintentional inclusion.

• Trailer Safety Week—highlighting the industry’s commitment to trailer safety and the need for legislation to support trailer safety efforts directly.

• Workforce Shortage—highlighting the critical nature of the workforce shortage and asking for Congressional action in four key areas to address underlying reasons for the shortage.

• Supply Chain—educating legislators about the significant challenges posed by a disrupted supply chain, lack of domestic production for critical components, and the resulting detriment incurred by tariffs and asking for

Congress to provide for more flexibility in sourcing, fix key roadblocks in product delivery processes, and address the alarming rise in shipping container costs.

• Infrastructure Package—as of this writing, a final

Infrastructure Package has yet to be passed. The trailer manufacturing industry has a vested interest in a long-term solution to infrastructure spending and investment in roads and bridges, with a specific interest in potential language related to rear and side underride guards.

While the deadline to participate in the legislative visits has passed, NATM invites all of its members to host their legislators for a plant tour. Plant tours are an easy way to not only showcase member companies and their impact on the community but are also an opportunity to discuss key priorities for the industry and business more specifically. NATM has invitation templates for members to customize, and the Association will work with the Congressional office on scheduling and can help members prepare for the tour. If you are interested in hosting a plant visit, contact NATM Assistant Director Meghan Ryan at Meghan.Ryan@natm.com or call NATM Headquarters at (785) 272-4433.

For members interested in attending the event in person, the next Regulatory Roundup & Capitol Hill Visits are scheduled for April 2022!