Vinyl Industry Advocates Take to Capitol Hill to Highlight Industry Issues

May 16, 2019

WASHINGTON — This week more than 50 vinyl business leaders took to Capitol Hill to highlight key industry issues and ask members of Congress and their staffs for legislative support. In the course of over 70 meetings with Congressional offices, they asked for support of water infrastructure and passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), along with a request for lawmakers to press the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to abandon their use of non-consensus based eco-standards. The day on Capitol Hill was the culmination of Vinyl Institute’s (VI) annual Vinyl Industry Congressional Fly-in.

“It is critically important that members of Congress hear directly from the vinyl industry, before they vote on legislation like infrastructure, trade and open competition. Our meetings in D.C. made a difference in growing more support for the industry,” said Dick Heinle, chairman of the VI and Vice President and General Manager of the Vinyl Division of Formosa Plastics Corporation, USA.

“This year’s vinyl industry fly-in helped advance common sense legislation. We had more than 50 vinyl business leaders educating lawmakers and staff about issues affecting our industry and employees including water infrastructure and trade,” said Ned Monroe, VI President and CEO. “We helped recruit additional co-sponsors of the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act, which supports vitally needed funding to repair our nation’s crumbling water infrastructure.”

Vinyl advocates asked elected officials to increase funding for water infrastructure programs and require open competition in designing and bidding on piping systems in order to stretch taxpayers’ dollars and lower local ratepayers’ costs. In particular, vinyl advocates asked lawmakers to co-sponsor the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act (H.R. 1497), which authorizes $22.5 billion in new federal funding for clean water infrastructure over the next five years.

In addition, vinyl advocates encouraged lawmakers to support passage of the USMCA. They also urged their elected officials to continue to support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) until the USMCA is implemented. Vinyl advocates also asked member of congress to send a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler instructing him to end or substantially change their Environmentally Preferred Purchasing (EPP) program, which discriminates against PVC. They pointed out the EPP was put into put into place Jan. 19, 2017 without industry input and in the midnight hour of the previous administration.

Vinyl advocates also repeatedly stressed that international trade is essential for a vibrant vinyl industry as well as a more sustainable U.S. global economy.

Key Washington insiders provide their insights.
The day before going to Capitol Hill, vinyl industry participants received updates and insights on housing, transportation, and other topics from a series of Washington insiders. Speakers at the event included EPA Assistant Administrator Alexandra Dunn, National Association of Home Builders CEO and President Gerald Howard, Surface Transportation Board Co-Chair Patrick Fuchs, Editor and Publisher of the Cook Report Charlie Cook and FOX News Contributor Matt Schlapp. In addition, the organization honored Representative John Katko (NY-24) as the inaugural Vinyl Congressional Champion for his tireless efforts to support funding for water infrastructure.

About the Vinyl Institute
The Vinyl Institute, founded in 1982, is a U.S. trade organization representing the leading manufacturers of vinyl, vinyl chloride monomer, and vinyl additives and modifiers. The Vinyl Institute serves as the voice for the vinyl industry, engaging industry stakeholders in shaping the future of the vinyl industry. The U.S. vinyl industry includes nearly 3,000 vinyl manufacturing facilities, more than 350,000 employees and an overall economic value of $54B. For more information, visit vinylinfo.org.