Trade Associations Are Not Low-Hanging Fruit, ARTBA and Allies Tell OMB

What happened: ARTBA led a coalition of 22 trade associations in filing comments May 17 on the White House Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB)  plan for enhancing public participation in agency policymaking. The group stressed the essential need for all individuals to have their views and interests fairly and equally represented within the federal regulatory framework.

Why it matters: OMB’s plan to create a whole of government approach to public engagement will directly impact how trade associations and their members engage in federal policy. In commenting, ARTBA wants to ensure the needs and insights of the transportation construction industry are adequately considered in federal decision-making processes. The coalition stressed that trade associations (and the members they serve) are invaluable resources for public engagement, not just low-hanging fruit.

What’s next: OMB has not signaled when it plans to release a draft framework, but the coalition will continue to monitor. ARTBA’s Prianka Sharma is the contact.