LEGISLATIVE DAY: View From The Hill

With the changing political climate in the nation’s capital and important school pesticide legislation being considered by Congress, the National Pest Management Association’s (NPMA) 15th annual Legislative Day had added significance this year.

More than 400 attendees from throughout the United States met with their state’s senators and congressmen at Legislative Day, which was held Feb. 25-26, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Va. Pest management professionals met with NPMA officials to discuss pressing proposed pesticide legislation, most notably the School Environment Protection Act (SEPA), a measure included in the Senate-passed farm bill.

“This Legislative Day is different from others because SEPA is an issue that’s pending right now,” Gene Harrington, manager of government affairs, NPMA, told attendees. “There’s an urgency to this issue.”

Harrington and Bob Rosenberg, director of government affairs, NPMA, reinforced the importance of SEPA to the pest management industry.
“SEPA is good public policy and good politics,” Rosenberg said. “It’s modeled after legislation that has been in place in many states. We can live with this bill.”

Harrington added that it is only a matter of time before some type of school pesticide legislation is passed in Congress. “If we don’t get SEPA, what’s next?” he said. “Other school pesticide legislation will make SEPA look like a walk in the park.”

Legislative Day 2002 was also a landmark event because EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman spoke to NPMA members. It marked the first time the EPA’s top administrator attended an NPMA meeting.

“(Whitman’s appearance) is an extraordinary example of the change that has occurred within your NPMA,” said NPMA Executive Vice President Rob Lederer. “We’ve evolved into a major player.”

In addition to promoting the political agenda of the pest control industry, this year’s Legislative Day was an opportunity for attendees to show their patriotism and support of the country. In keeping with this theme, Army General Hugh Shelton delivered this year’s keynote speech titled, “The People, the Pride and the Promise.”

Other speakers at this year’s Legislative Day included John Kasich, Republican presidential candidate and former Chairman of the House Budget Committee, and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), sponsor of SEPA.
The PCT Media Group also recognized the PCT/Syngenta Professional Products Technician of the Year award winners during a special ceremony.