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Regional News: SAAGNY Teams Talk To Senate Officials In D.C.
Issue: 2009nov
SAAGNY delegations from New York and New Jersey traveled to Washington, D.C. to discuss healthcare legislation and its potential impact on promotional products. Left to right: Nancy D’Andrea, Jonathan Riegel, CAS, Ken Tymula, Eric Rackoff, Alan Baker, CAS, Brett Schaffer, CAS, Michele Jennrich, MAS, Joel Schaffer, MAS, and Brian Seltzer.
Regional groups continue to reach out to their legislators in hopes of getting relief from the stringent rules written into the Physician Payments Sunshine Act.
Last Monday, several New York- and New Jersey-based members of Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with the staff health aides for each of their respective senators.
PPAI legal counsel and chief Washington lobbyist John Satagaj was also in attendance, and he advised the teams on some of the ins and outs of, and updates on, the legislation that is changing almost daily.
The New York team consisted of current SAAGNY President Jonathan Riegel, CAS, of Hewlett, New York-based distributor Concepts Unlimited (UPIC: CONUNLIM); Alan Baker, CAS, of Albany, New York-based distributor Creative Marketing Concepts (UPIC: creatve); Ken Tymula of Sterling Cut Glass Co., Inc. (UPIC: STERL881) and Eric Rackoff of Overland Park, Kansas-based distributor Staples Promotional Products (UPIC: AMER0016).
Representing the New Jersey contingent were Joel Schaffer, MAS, of Randolph, New Jersey-based supplier Soundline, LLC (UPIC: 1SOUNDLN); incoming SAAGNY President Brett Schaffer, CAS, also of Soundline; Brian Seltzer of Bellville, New Jersey-based supplier Premium Shapes (PREMIUM); Nancy D’Andrea of Clifton, New Jersey-based distributor Thomas Direct Sales, Inc. (UPIC: THOM0003) and Michele Jennrich, MAS, of Zeeland, Michigan-based supplier Howard Miller Co. (UPIC: clocks).
“Both offices agreed our requests are reasonable, but they also agreed it is going to be so very difficult to amend the legislation, as it is now rolled into the total healthcare reform package,” says Joel Schaffer.
“Our arguments were well received. However, we felt the interest was
most keen when we spoke of economic devastation this legislation can
have on our industry. This is what they needed to hear. When you bring
it down to their voters, they take notes.”
Schaffer shared an example from Amsterdam, New York, where three of the top 10 employers operate in the promotional products industry. “Amsterdam has already lost its industrial base,” he says. “This legislation, in Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s own backyard, could devastate their local economy even more. That is impact.”
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