WASHINGTON —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Speakers at the National Restaurant Association’s 2007 Public Affairs Conference told restaurateurs and association officials attending the annual event that a confluence of deep partisan divisions and the looming national elections has resulted in legislative gridlock inside the Beltway. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
John Boehner, R-Ohio, the minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, informed more than 700 conference attendees that chances were poor that any progress would be made in the coming months on two issues close to their hearts—comprehensive immigration reform and the permanent repeal of the estate tax. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
In particular, the top-ranking House Republican declared, “There is no appetite on Capitol Hill to deal with [immigration.]” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla., agreed, saying the “likelihood of a comprehensive immigration bill is nil for the near future, unfortunately.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“All rational discussion of immigration ended two Cinco de Mayos ago,” he said. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
The legislative logjam, in fact, has frustrated many in this country and helped send Congress’ approval rating tumbling to a near-record low of 24 percent, according to the most recent Gallup Poll. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“People are not satisfied with the direction this country is going in,” said Mike McCurry, press secretary to President Bill Clinton from 1995 to 1998. “They’re tired of all this partisanship. There’s a hunger for centrism in the political environment.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
But despite the lack of decisive action on Capitol Hill, John Gay, the NRA’s senior vice president of government affairs and public policy, maintained it still was necessary for the industry to carry its grassroots, probusiness message to lawmakers. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Some major industry issues like immigration, health care, small-business health care plans and the estate tax “are in lock-down” until after the presidential election, Gay said. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“But some smaller things—good or bad—could get through,” he said. “It’s important to keep the pressure on and continue our relationship with Congress. With immigration, for example, we have to keep telling them it’s a problem.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
The NRA’s new president and chief executive, Dawn Sweeney, encouraged restaurateurs “to continue to identify challenges and forge new alliances” with law-makers. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Despite the general lack of congressional action, attendees were encouraged by the introduction of a bipartisan-sponsored restaurant depreciation bill in the House a few days before the conference convened. Sponsored by Reps. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., and Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, H.R. 3622 seeks to permanently reduce the current 39.5-year depreciation schedule for building renovations or improvements to 15 years. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
A sympathetic Boehner told restaurateurs that he supported passage of the bill. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“The market changes, customers change, and if you don’t change, you won’t be in business very long,” he said. “I’m hopeful Congress will deal with the bill this year.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
During a Capitol Hill visit with members of the Louisiana Restaurant Association, Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., indicated that he would be willing to support the measure as well. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Lawmakers proved to be less supportive when it came to comprehensive immigration reform, even when restaurateurs painted a bleak labor picture and cited the need for new sources of workers. Ralph Brennan of Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group in New Orleans told Sen. David Vitter, RLa., that finding qualified employees has been the most critical problem struggling local foodservice operators have had to endure since Hurricane Katrina devastated the area two years ago. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“So many people were displaced following the storm,” Brennan said. “We don’t have enough help, and it’s limiting our ability to operate our restaurants.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Vitter, however, told the LRA delegation that he had voted against the recently defeated immigration reform bill. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“It did a lot of things wrong,” he said, explaining his vote on the bill. “It merged a temporary-workers concept with a path to citizenship, and those are two different issues.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
The key to immigration reform, he continued, “is to focus on enforcement first, and if that creates a climate [for change], then we should look at a temporary-worker program.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Boehner sounded a similar note, saying Congress is “trying to find a rational policy, but immigration reform doesn’t have political support now. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“If Americans see more secure borders,” he said, “they might support more comprehensive reform.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Not all responses to the industry’s pleas for immigration reform were entirely pessimistic, however. Florida’s Putnam encouraged restaurateurs to continue to push for a “rational policy.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“You need to have a stable, legal workforce,” he said. “There has to be a way to bring in labor on a temporary basis and still secure the borders. We should be able to have a conversation [about immigration] without talking about amnesty or citizenship.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Putnam also blasted the government’s recent decision to fine employers who fail to sack workers whose Social Security data does not match government records. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“How are you supposed to know if somebody hands you a false Social Security card if the government can’t figure it out?” he asked. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
He also criticized the government database that will be used to ascertain the legal status of workers, saying that it has a 10-percent inaccuracy rate. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Food safety was another proactive policy issue addressed by the NRA. While representatives took their concerns to Capitol Hill about the safety of the nation’s food supply, the NRA’s board of directors voted to encourage the creation of a federal framework to regulate the domestic aquaculture industry. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“Restaurateurs must have consumer confidence,” she said. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
Dr. Richard Raymond, undersecretary for food safety for Food Safety and Inspection Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told participants that despite recent high-visibility outbreaks of foodborne illnesses across the country, things are not necessarily getting worse. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
“I believe our food system is the safest in the world and getting safer,” he said. —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
When questioned about the wisdom of creating one “super” food safety agency, however, he replied: “It wouldn’t make any sense. It will just create a less efficient bureaucracy.” —Even as representatives from the foodservice industry fanned out across Capitol Hill to lobby their law-makers on such vital issues as immigration reform, food safety and restaurant depreciation, many acknowledged that Congress is unlikely to enact much restaurant-related legislation in the next 18 months.
