Often when we talk about our government relations action team (GRAT) and our advocacy efforts, it is always about works in progress. We focus on those issues that are at hand, and that need a resolution of some sort. Finally, we have the chance to discuss something we worked on
For the first time since 2019, many of our HFA members came together in Washington for what we affectionately refer to as our DC Fly-In. Each attendee is a member of our Government Relations Action Team (GRAT). This has always been an annual chance to get in front of key
Recently, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) denied an industry request, co-signed by HFA, to extend the comment period for their clothing storage unit tip-over safety standard. Public comments are due to the CPSC by April 19, 2022. It is critical that the furniture retail voice is represented as they
On January 19th, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously, 4-0, to advance its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) on a mandatory safety standard for Clothing Storage Unit tip-overs. The text in the CPSC proposal was initially published in July 2021, but the Commission did not receive a staff
Build Back Better Congressional Democrats and the White House spent the last several months of 2021 working to enact President Biden’s signature legislative priority, the Build Back Better Act. This proposed legislative piece is key to advancing the Administration’s economic recovery agenda. The House passed its version before Thanksgiving in
When I look at 2021 through the lens of advocacy, I must tell you that it was a game-changer for our industry and the home furnishings association. That’s something I say on many different levels. First, the sheer volume of issues we weighed in on, the positions we presented, and
On the surface, the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act, which passed the House in June 2021 and is under consideration in the Senate, seems straightforward. It heralds strict new mandatory requirements to address furniture tip-overs. Unfortunately, the intentions of the STURDY Act simply don’t translate
*Disclaimer: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit (based in New Orleans, LA) has issued a temporary, national injunction (pause) against the OSHA vaccine mandate. Republican Attorneys General in 26 states and other stakeholders have challenged the rule in federal court. The ruling and subsequent lawsuits put the
The supply chain crisis is nothing new for furniture retailers – it’s been an unfortunate reality for our industry over the last several years, with many inefficiencies exacerbated by the effects of COVID-19. In several instances this year, President Biden has focused on the supply chain, either by Executive Order
For most of the summer, President Biden and congressional leaders have been working on the two main components of the President’s legislative agenda – implementing the American Jobs and Families Plans. Early on, a bipartisan working group in the Senate carved out physical transportation/infrastructure assets to develop the Infrastructure Investment
In this Quick Click Solutions video from Synchrony, find out how to incentivize your sales team with the easy to
Oh good, you’re still here. You survived the quarantine and figured out how to keep the business going and serve
Consistency in advocacy engagement has been the main pillar of HFA’s Government Relations Action Team (GRAT) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
I’ll spare you the run-up to how we wound up in Switzerland over the Thanksgiving holiday. Still, my family and
This Quick Click Solutions video from Dovr Media gives you five top tips that will help you sell more products
Congress and the Trump administration are preparing another Covid-19 relief package. The Home Furnishings Association’s Washington representative, Chris Andresen, and government relations liaison Doug Clark
Everyone is trying to figure out what the “new normal” will look like when your stores reopen. What will recovery look like to you and
