Last month, more than 100 members and staff of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) traveled from their businesses across the country to meet with elected officials in Washington D.C. to advocate for the issues that are impacting our industry. This year’s annual NACD Washington Fly-In had greater member participation than ever before and is a great illustration of why chemical distributors are our own best advocates.
Throughout days of in-person meetings with lawmakers, our members discussed the renewal of the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) and the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), freight rail reform, and the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program.
The CFATS program is set to expire within the next eight weeks unless Congress passes legislation reauthorizing it. A bill has yet to be introduced. The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) CFATS program was created in 2007 to help prevent terrorist attacks on high-risk chemical facilities. Congress has reauthorized the program four times – each time on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis. If the CFATS program expires July 27, 2023, chemical facilities across the nation could be left vulnerable to a plethora of security threats.
Matthew Fridley, Senior Director of Safety and Security for Brenntag North America, is one of NACD’s most active and strongest advocates. In addition to participating in the Fly-In each year and hosting congressional site visits, Fridley provides expert testimony before Congress as the chemical distribution industry’s subject matter expert on a variety of issue areas, including the CFATS program.
“CFATS allows chemical manufacturers and distributors to work with the government to make sure that we are prepared for a range of existing and emerging threats. This program also provides the industry with the certainty necessary to invest in the right security strategies long-term,” says Fridley. “CFATS is non-prescriptive, which allows us to pivot quickly and adjust security plans easily with the assistance of DHS.”
Apart from calling on Congress to reauthorize the CFATS program, freight rail reform and the renewal of key trade programs were equally important to NACD members during the Fly-In. Chemical distributors rely on freight rail to deliver their products safely and in a timely manner, and free-trade policies facilitate access to and lower the costs of many chemical products that are not manufactured domestically. NACD urged Congress to pass commonsense rail reforms to address operational, safety, and workforce challenges. Members also called on Congress to renew the MTB and GSP programs retroactively.
“The Fly-In is one of the most critical events that NACD hosts all year. This year, we had 100 members attend, representing dozens of companies across the nation, that came together on Capitol Hill to work for the best interests of the industry,” says Fridley. “That is a real testament to NACD and how easy it is for members to get involved. We have members who show up year after year as well as newer members who got to experience their first Fly-In last month. Both groups were able to find similarities in their backgrounds to advocate effectively for the industry thanks to NACD’s leadership.”
Apart from the Fly-In, members have plenty of opportunities to come together throughout the year by participating in regional or annual meetings. And, with resources like the ChemEdge conference, webinars, and other online trainings, members always have opportunities to get involved, stay involved, and advocate for the most pressing issues facing our industry.
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