It’s critical that we elect lawmakers who have the best interests of cooperators in mind. From the Main Street Employee Ownership Act to the Farm Bill, NCBA CLUSA has spent 2018 keeping co-op priorities front and center on Capitol Hill and nationwide.
Ahead of November, NCBA CLUSA supported Co-ops Vote—an initiative from America’s Electric Cooperatives—by urging Congressional candidates running for office or up for reelection to amplify co-ops in their campaign messaging.
NCBA CLUSA is eager to keep this momentum going, and looks forward to working with new and incumbent lawmakers in 2019 on key advocacy priorities.
A historic piece of co-op legislation, the Main Street Employee Ownership Act has the potential to transform the small business space, especially as a generation of baby boomers retires and seeks viable solutions to preserve the small businesses at the heart of stable, sustainable communities. NCBA CLUSA worked closely with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s office to craft the law and is part of a group of stakeholders currently working to implement it.
In late July, NCBA CLUSA made its final case for co-op provisions in the Farm Bill. The 2014 Farm Bill expired on September 30 without a replacement, leaving the future of anchor programs like the only federal investment in domestic cooperative development and foreign assistance up in the air.
Whether the bill is reconciled in 2018 or moves into 2018, NCBA CLUSA stands ready, reminding lawmakers that co-ops are a critical driver of the U.S. economy and a tool to create more resilient communities around the world.