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Infrastructure Funding – Hydrogen Economy On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which included funding to build at least four hydrogen hubs with two being in regions with abundant natural gas reserves. The hubs intend to test different ways to produce and use hydrogen, which is emerging as one…

The Chapter Scholarship Fund is Now the Brianna Wright Memorial Scholarship Fund ASA is proud to share that the Chapter Scholarship Fund has been renamed the Brianna Wright Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of the late Brianna Wright, the beloved Executive Director of the ASA of Houston chapter. This decision was made by the ASA…

DOL’s Reviewing Minimum Wage and Overtime Exemptions The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division previously announced that it is reviewing the regulations that implement the Fair Labor Standard Act’s minimum wage and overtime exemptions for bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees.  In the last few months, DOL has held multiple listening sessions. DOL…

President Biden’s Rural Infrastructure Playbook On Monday, April 11, 2022, President Biden announced his “rural playbook,” which highlights the infrastructure funding he signed into law on November 15, 2021.  This funding will clean up abandoned oil wells, upgrade drinking water systems, and prevent wildfires.  There are over 100 federal programs supported by the law. The…

This Week in Congress              This week, Congress attempted to consider a Covid-19 relief package that would provide support to restaurants and small businesses; however, the package was stymied by the Senate Republicans, who wanted a vote on the Biden Administration’s repeal of “Title 42,” a pandemic-related restriction on border crossings, a move likely to create…

ASA Calls Upon Congressional Leadership for State and Local Infrastructure Funding Flexibility This week, ASA, along with the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC), called upon congressional leadership for the inclusion of S. 3011/H.R. 5735, a measure to provide greater flexibility to American Rescue Plan (ARP) state and local resources, in the pending pandemic aid package.  The…

Senate Passes Ocean Shipping Reform Act The Senate passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), a bill supported by ASA intended to unlock port bottlenecks that have snarled shipments of many farm commodities. The bill must now be conferenced with the previously-passed House version of OSRA, which is more prescriptive in regulating ocean carriers. Return…

COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Act Congress attempted to reach a bipartisan deal on a pandemic aid package and pass it before they leave town this Thursday for a two-week recess. The White House request for $22.5 billion in new funding for COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and testing was whittled down to about $10 billion after a round…

There is Still Time to Fill Out the Communications Survey! We’re Listening. Raise Your Voice Nothing beats one-on-one conversation to spur ideas and connections. That was reinforced at SUBExcel a couple weeks ago as we talked with a lot of our members about how to make YOUR association better. Only problem is that we spoke…

Restaurant and Small Business Aid This week, the House attempted to vote on legislation that would give the Small Business Administration (SBA) additional funds to assist restaurants and small businesses that did not receive relief from previous COVID-19 aid packages. The measure would allocate $42 billion to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and $13 billion…