Message from NCISS President 

Many of us have been visiting our elected officials for years and have become accustomed to some of the Byzantine congressional procedures. But like many Americans, we sometimes wonder why the legislative branch of government operates the way it does. It operates in its own world, far differently than private business. 

We are fortunate to have our legislative advocate, Larry Sabbath, to help us navigate the Congressional byways. He understands the legislative process as well as the people who toil on Capitol Hill. His expertise comes from working in congress for more than 14 years and as a lobbyist and associate executive for twenty years. His service on congressional staffs was very broad: He was a legislative assistant before becoming the staff director of the small business subcommittees dealing with tax and antitrust issues. He then was the staff director of a subcommittee of the Energy & Commerce Committee that included jurisdiction over the Federal Trade Commission. Few know the halls of congress better than our own, Larry Sabbath.

Larry also knows NCISS. For years he has been representing our organization and our interests. So not only does he know congressional procedures and personnel, but he knows us and issues affecting our complex industries. Having a full-time lobbyist with the qualifications, skill and experience of Larry is a priceless asset. It is no exaggeration to say that Larry Sabbath has become the "Voice of NCISS on Capital Hill." Without him and his leadership, we would not have had the successes we have enjoyed over the last two decades.

Remarkably, some people in the industry think that an association can be effective without a professional in Washington, DC. But a review of how we have achieved our successes over the years reveals otherwise. Legislative success does not regularly come after one visit to a member of congress. The effort to win an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act required not only the assistance of Representative Pete Sessions (R-Texas), but numerous meetings and negotiations with committee staff members as well as the building of a coalition of many industries and professions. Some of these negotiations were held for hours at a time several times a week. They could not be done in absentia. Without boots on the ground and a commander as strong and knowledgeable as Larry could we have succeeded in amending the FCRA twice!

Similarly, Larry represented us during the fight in the early 1990's over the Drivers Privacy Protection Act. Again, it was an issue that required a lengthy negotiation and coalition building. And when an attempt was made to ban the use of video monitoring of employees (which would have prevented the use of surveillance in the workplace), Larry was chosen as one of two private industry representatives to negotiate with Senator Paul Simon and his staff. This was also a lengthy negotiation. Eventually that bill was killed and Larry deserves most of the credit.

There is a lot more to being a legislative advocate than circulating newspaper clippings and press releases written by congressional staffers on industry list-serves. One has to know how to deal with congress, when to announce opposition to a measure and when to lie low. Larry knows these methods and tactics. NCISS is very blessed to have such an experienced and sophisticated representative working on our behalf in Washington. We could have no better person on our team.

Thank you, Larry, for everything you do for us and NCISS.

eferraro@businesscontrols.com

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