Tire Industry Association (TIA) members descended on Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill. The event, designed to help Washington insiders understand the issues that affect the lives of TIA members and to emphasize that real people are impacted by Federal policies, featured briefings from government officials, policy updates and meetings directly with members of Congress and their staff.

The event kicked off with a briefing from Department of Transportation and National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. DOT and NHTSA officials highlighted the current state of highway policy, including the standing desire of the White House to pass a significant transportation infrastructure bill, though reiterating that a bill is not imminent at this time.

A luncheon inside the Capitol Building featured speakers that highlighted topics important to TIA members, including the estate tax, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and the current state of the upcoming mid-term elections.

In between an Industry Issues Seminar that featured several members of Congress and a reception at the Rayburn House Office Building, TIA members were in the offices of key members of Congress to help them better understand the issues that face the tire industry and remind them that tires aren’t just a business– they are the lifeblood of many hard-working American business owners. Throughout the day, TIA members met with at least 16 members of Congress (nine Republicans and seven Democrats) to share the positions that TIA members see as crucial for the future of their industry.

The major policy areas that TIA identified include:

• Opposition to the repeal of LIFO and continued protection of “pass-through” business entities
• The repeal of the Estate Tax
• Continuation and simplification of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.
• A repeal of a 1993 amendment to the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 1993 that TIA sees as opening the door for unfounded lawsuits
• Protection for small businesses from liability related to used oil
• A desire to have TIA oversee the NHTSA’s national consumer education program
• Greater enforcement of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, including cracking down on auto manufacturers that make claims that suggest that aftermarket parts are inferior to OE options
• Reducing the National Labor Relations Board’s ability to implement certain actions related to unionization
• Support for the Motor Vehicle Owners Right to Repair Act
• A simplification and streamlining of interstate sales tax for online businesses
• Support for measures that would allow employees to choose Paid Time Off, rather than overtime pay
• Support for a five-year+ Federal Highway Aid Bill but opposition to a number of proposed elements of such a bill, including privatization of roads, a fuel tax increase, several use-specific taxes as well as a number of additional issues

Information and a detailed look at TIA’s position on these and many more issues can be found on the TIA website.