Movers for America took our concerns to the Hill, and the wind is at our backs. We’re heartened that the House’s version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act contains a Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit of the GHC, and we’re working to get this critical review over the Congressional finish line.
Fighting for a solid military moves system that delivers our best to military families is something we all take very seriously. To build off the advocacy efforts of the annual Moving and Storage Conference Call on Washington, MFA Executive Director Katie McMichael and several members coordinated additional meetings with key Congressional members and staffers to discuss ongoing concerns with the GHC.
With concerns mounting about the GHC’s fiscal feasibility and the lack of guidance on how to comply with the Service Contract Act, we took our message straight to the policymakers who oversee these critical areas.
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), who chairs the House committee with oversight of the SCA, plays a pivotal role. The GAO audit required in the House defense funding bill would shed light on what SCA compliance will look like for the moving industry — an urgent priority since it will be required for all military moves for the first time.
Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) serves on the Senate committee with oversight of the Service Contract Act. During our meeting with his office and committee staff, we presented real-life scenarios illustrating how SCA regulations could impact businesses and independent contractors in the industry.
Senate Health, Labor, Pensions Committee is the committee that oversees labor provisions, specifically the Service Contract Act. During this meeting, we presented our concerns over the lack of clarity regarding compliance and how this would impact the HHG business model.
All in all, we’re very encouraged by Congress’ interest in this issue and their willingness to learn more and ask tough questions. Staff members indicated that Andy Dawson plans to give a briefing on the matter in the coming weeks. It will be interesting to see if TRANSCOM is more transparent with Congressional staffers, or if they’ll receive another round of vague “answers.”
The defense spending bill is likely to be discussed by members in the coming weeks, so it’s more important now than ever that we continue to seek information, ask questions, and share our experiences and insights.
American Trucking Associations: Moving and Storage Companies Meet with Capitol Hill Lawmakers
About 100 moving and storage professionals were fighting the good fight on behalf of American businesses, independent contractors, and military families – Movers for America was honored and encouraged to be in such good company. Several influential members of Congress participated in the MSC Call on Washington, including Sens. Rick Scott, Katie Britt, and Mark Kelly and Reps. Jim Banks, John Rutherford, and Jill Tokuda, as well as staff from the House Armed Services, House Ways & Means, House Transportation & Infrastructure, Senate Finance, and Senate Commerce Committees. READ MORE
