Good News for Industry Despite Gridlock in Washington

Is Anything Getting Done in Congress?

If you watch the news at the national level (regardless of the network) you would be justified to conclude that gridlock in Washington is the result of the great divide over President Trump. Even as a political junkie, I tired of the constant barrage by pundits and journalists coming to polar opposite legal conclusions over a single conversation. Welcome to Washington politics in the Trump era.

What is next after the House draws up and votes on its Articles of Impeachment? Assuming the House will vote to impeach and the Senate schedules its trial, what then? Will we be able to get back to business as usual and occasionally pass legislation that matters, like fixing our failing infrastructure or passing trade legislation? Not likely, but that does not mean all is lost for meaningful progress on issues that impact our economy and your business.

Good News for the Industry

Two legislative measures which would impact the electronic security industry also happen to enjoy broad bi-partisan support.

I was pleased to represent ESA in a recent “Hill Walk” with business leaders from across the country to discuss workforce development legislation that will facilitate drawing more youth to skilled trades. There are over 7.2 million unfilled jobs in the U.S., and many are in high-skill, high-demand jobs like those in electronic security and life safety. There were over 80 congressional office visits scheduled during this “Hill Walk,” where we all heard strong support from congressional offices on both sides of the aisle that workforce development was a top priority. Stay tuned as we continue our work with Congress on these important pieces of legislation.

Another issue that is moving with bipartisan support is an attempt to halt illegal robocalling that has become far more than a nuisance for consumers. The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act – or the “TRACED Act” – is the first significant legislation to institute meaningful measures that will deter illegal robocalling but maintain safe harbors for carriers and provide protections for legitimate business enterprises that rely on telephone communications. This bill passed the Senate and the House with some amendments that must be reconciled, but it appears this legislation has a real chance of final passage. If so, we may actually see some relief from the dozens of bogus calls we all receive almost daily.