Since the 119th Congress convened in January, ASA vice president for government relations Toby Malara has been working with the association’s outside lobbyist, former representative Jack Kingston of Squire Patton Boggs, and held more than 30 meetings with key members of Congress and staff of the House Committee on Ways and Means—including its chair, Rep. Jason Smith (R–MO)—as well as members from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce—including its chair, Rep. Tim Walberg (R–MI). He has also met with staff and members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

The meetings focused on many of the industry’s key policy issues, such as worker misclassification, immigration reform, and workplace safety. A full listing of those issues can be found in the association’s 2025 Policy Agenda.

A major topic of discussion was the budget reconciliation process, in which key industry tax issues are at stake. Malara voiced the industry’s strong support for permanently extending the 2017 passthrough tax deduction for sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S corporations, as well as making the Work Opportunity Tax Credit permanent. He also urged lawmakers not to eliminate the exclusion from taxable income for “per diem” payments made to reimburse employees for work-related meals and lodging.

ASA will continue to schedule meetings with key lawmakers and will update ASA members throughout the year. For staffing agencies interested in meeting with their members of Congress, the ASA Guide to Grassroots Advocacy is an invaluable tool that will help ensure the meetings are a success.

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