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Region One members press industry concerns on Capitol Hill

By Brock Huffstutler

May 16, 2023

L-R: Tony Conant (ARA CEO), Anthony Durante, John McClelland (ARA vice president, government affairs and chief economist) and Sarah Wilper

Left to right: Tony Conant (ARA CEO), Anthony Durante, John McClelland (ARA vice president, government affairs and chief economist) and Sarah Wilper

Nearly 60 members of the American Rental Association (ARA) gathered in Washington, D.C., March 28-30, 2023, for ARA’s National Legislative Caucus. The event brings members of the equipment and event rental industry to Capitol Hill to meet with their elected officials to discuss the issues and concerns of the industry.

The following members from ARA’s Region One took part:

Caucus attendees had the opportunity to meet with members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives and their staff members. During these meetings, attendees talked about four key industry issues:

  • Workforce development
  • H-2B visas
  • Tax policy
  • Catalytic converter thefts

Click here for specifics on the four issues ARA members pushed for at this year’s Caucus.

The event kicked off that Tuesday afternoon with an opening session featuring Jim Ellis, senior political analyst with BIPAC (Business Industry Political Action Committee) — a nonpartisan organization that works to improve the political climate in America for the business community and help employers and employees play a more active role in public policy and the political process.

Ellis talked about trends seen in recent election cycles and how their outcomes portend what could occur in the 2024 presidential and congressional contests. “We’re definitely living in an interesting time in American political history,” he said.

Sara Blood (center) and Brendon Blood (right) with a member of Sen. Peter Welch's staff

Sara Blood (center) and Brendon Blood (right) with a member of Sen. Peter Welch’s staff

The session was followed by a welcome reception, where Caucus attendees could meet one another and network with other equipment and event rental professionals from around the country.

On Wednesday morning, everyone headed to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers and staff members. Attendees shared facts, figures and personal stories about how workforce development, H-2B visas, taxes and catalytic converter thefts affect their lives, businesses and the industry.

Sara Blood has attended Caucus before and knows the impact it can have.

“The staffers and your representatives — if you have the opportunity to meet them — really enjoy talking to someone from their district,” she says. “Obviously we’re a small state in Vermont, but they’ll say, ‘Oh yeah, I know where you are.’ And sometimes you’re right in the senator’s backyard. I think it’s so important that they hear from the locals, from the constituents, versus just from some lobbyist. It doesn’t mean as much coming from them as it does coming from a constituent who has these issues. It makes a big difference.”

Brendon Blood, who also has participated in Caucus in the past, agrees and provides an example of the effectiveness of testimony from constituent business owners like he and Sara.

“One of the senators that we know — his staffer was great, very receptive,” he says. “She didn’t know a lot about the issues, so it was really cool to speak to her about H-2B visas. She was very interested in what we had to say and learned a lot about it. And talking about PART [the Preventing Auto Recycling Theft Act], she obviously is aware of the situation with catalytic converters being stolen but she didn’t realize what was involved.”

After a day of meetings, everyone got back together for a reception during which a bottle of Angel’s Envy-brand bourbon with a commemorative engraving was raffled off to raise money for ARAPAC — ARA’s political action committee. $14,300 was raised through the raffle; the money will be used to support candidates running for federal office who support a pro-business environment — regardless of party affiliation.

Michael Linton, right, chats with other ARA members at Caucus

Michael Linton, right, chats with other ARA members at Caucus

It was back to Capitol Hill on Thursday morning for a final round of meetings with legislators and their staff. Then, Caucus wrapped up with a lunch at the Capitol Hill Club that featured guest speaker U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.).

Over the course of the 2023 Caucus, attendees logged approximately 170 appointments with lawmakers.

“It was great to be back in D.C. advocating for rental,” Wilper says. “It was so positive all around. Staffers were all very receptive and willing to listen to what we had to say, regardless of political affiliation. To be on the ground in D.C. was very inspiring and motivating. I hope to see the fruit of our labor in continued growth for rental.”