‘Conventional Wisdom is Often Wrong’: Q&A With DC Insider

TRSA’s 13th Annual Legislative Conference & Annual Industry Awards Dinner on March 22-23, 2023, will feature a keynote address by a key Washington insider, Bob Cusack, editor in chief at The Hill, a media outlet renowned for its reporting and analysis of trends and issues facing Congress and the administration.

In his talk, Cusack will give attendees an overview of first-quarter developments in terms of national policy and politics. To offer a taste of his upcoming address, Textile Services Weekly recently posed a few questions to Cusack on key issues at the close of the 2020 midterm-election season.

Will the recent elections have any impact on the Biden administration’s push to enact tougher environmental and labor regulations? Examples include new rules for joint employers, as well as tighter controls on polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), particularly PFOS and PFOA, which the EPA is moving to designate as hazardous substances.

With Republicans controlling the House of Representatives next year, there will be a lot more vigorous oversight on regulations. But the GOP won’t be able to overturn regulations because it will only have control of one branch. So while there will be more scrutiny on regulations such as these, the most viable way to eradicate them is through litigation, which takes years sometimes.

Do you see a Republican-led House taking substantive action to counter either of these issues or similar administration initiatives in the new year?

The relevant committees will be involved, but I don’t see substantive action.

Do you see any chance of regulators and/or Congress agreeing to require the use of reusable personal protective equipment (PPE), such as isolation gowns, to head off the threat of future shortages of PPE similar to those that hospitals experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic?

There is a lot of COVID-19 fatigue, so I don’t believe this will be a top priority for the new Congress – unless there are clear signs that we are headed into another period of time when PPE will be scarce.

Generally speaking, do you see economic growth likely to improve in 2023?

Most economists are predicting a minor recession, but there are some positive signs on inflation and gas prices. Still, the economy has a long way to go and many employers are not bullish on 2023. One thing to remember: conventional wisdom is often wrong.

Do you see any opportunities for bipartisan agreement on issues such as addressing the current shortages of computer chips and related electrical components that are putting a drag on the U.S. economy?

Yes. Getting anything done with divided government is challenging, and next year will be no different. Congress in a bipartisan fashion passed a chips bill that was aimed at competing more with China. That kind of bill could pass again next year.

Click here for more information or to register for TRSA’s Legislative Conference & Annual Industry Awards Dinner.