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Congress has unanimously approved the Save Our Seas Act of 2018 (S. 3508) to address the growing issue of marine debris.  The act reauthorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program which promotes international action to reduce marine debris.  The legislation requires...

This week, Congress approved a final Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill that will increase funding for the Perkins Basic State Grant by $70 million.  Both Chambers of Congress approved the measure with overwhelming bipartisan support.  Workforce development remains...

On October 12, Congress passed the most comprehensive infrastructure legislation of the 115thCongress.  America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 authorizes $6 billion over two years for water infrastructure and conservation projects in U.S. ports, harbors, and waterways.  The legislation also includes two new provisions of...

Washington, DC – October 23, 2018 — The Water Infrastructure Now Act (WIN) S.3021 was signed into law today by President Trump. The Vinyl Institute released the following statement, which may be attributed to President and CEO, Dick Doyle. “The Water Infrastructure Now ACT (WIN)...

Plastic pipe manufacturers are calling for an update to the U.S. flue gas codes to help improve the safety of gas-fired appliances.  The issue stems from concerns over the use of plumbing grade pipe in flue gas applications.  U.S. codes currently permit the use of...

The United States, Mexico, and Canada have now reached an agreement (USMCA) to update the current North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  After more than a year of negotiations, the three nations were able to overcome several contentious issues like rules of origin, import tariffs,...

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) has agreed to a six-year extension of its contract with the United State Maritime Alliance (USMX).  The contract was set to expire at the end of September and negotiators had hoped to avoid the sort of port shutdown that cost...