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New Workforce Regulations for Employers

Three workforce regulations from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) could have a big impact on IHA members and employers across the country. All of them are controversial and could be challenged in court by business organizations. On Oct. 27, the NLRB published a final rule addressing the Standard for…

Renew the GSP Program and Refund Duties

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program was created to encourage economic development for emerging economies in qualifying countries by reducing tariff burdens on U.S. companies to encourage investment and partnerships in those places. The program has been regularly renewed but lapsed in 2021 and Congress has not been able to reach an agreement on renewal for a…

California’s Prop 65

In 1986, California voters approved Proposition 65 (the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Exposure Act), a ballot initiative to address concerns about exposure to toxic chemicals. It requires California to publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity, and for businesses with 10 or more employees to provide warnings when they knowingly and intentionally…

Business Tax Breaks Scheduled to End

In 2017, the Republican-led Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) using budget reconciliation to avoid a Senate filibuster and its 60-vote threshold. But the tradeoff for this process is that tax breaks benefiting IHA members and other businesses had to be temporary in order to meet budget reconciliation rules. The TCJA boosted the IRC Sec. 168(k) Bonus…

Trade Issues Update

On June 2, Americans for Free Trade (AFT) sent a letter to the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) signed by IHA and 145 other organizations for the May 17 hearing Leveling the Playing Field: How to Counter the Chinese Communist Party’s Economic Aggression. Despite the enmity between Capitol Hill Republicans and Democrats, the Select Committee on the…

Controversial New Process for Regulations

On April 6, President Biden issued the Executive Order (EO) “Modernizing Regulatory Review” that will change the process by which federal agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Departments of Transportation and Labor promulgate their regulations. The White House says these changes will improve the process, but administrative law experts believe the new…

Peak Shipping Season Rebound Unlikely

Ocean carriers are coming to the realization that the upcoming peak shipping season will likely be a bust. Several carriers have been predicting that the Asia to U.S. market would see a rebound in container shipping during the second half of 2023. It is becoming clear now that the so-called rebound is not going to happen. Industry experts have also backed off previous…

Protected: Exciting Changes for The Inspired Home Show 2024

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The Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023

On April 26, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811) to suspend the federal government’s debt ceiling through either March 31, 2024, or a $1.5 trillion increase when the current $31.4 trillion ceiling runs out, whichever comes first. It’s not unusual for Congress to raise the debt ceiling so Treasury can continue to sell U.S. bonds…