"I don’t think a single person in the printing industry will disagree that it is one of the most difficult and grueling industries.”
This sentiment comes from Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), who at a young age was exposed to the challenges printing companies face, having grown up involved in her family’s business The Mid-York Press in Sherburne, New York.
Rep. Tenney and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) – whose father owned a sign business and who later opened his own printing shop at age 23 – are uniquely positioned to advocate on behalf of the printing industry.
“We understand the complexities of the industry and how we can help,” Rep. Tenney explains. “We can make sure that we don’t do harm to the industry.”
That shared dedication and passion for the printing industry resulted in Reps. Pocan and Tenney being named two of the four co-chairs of the inaugural Congressional Printing Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives. The first-of-its-kind bipartisan caucus was formed in 2023 with Reps. Pocan and Tenney, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) serving as co-chairs. The caucus aims to educate lawmakers about the issues, legislation, and regulations that could impact the printing industry.
“I think the biggest thing was that it’s a large industry that didn’t seem to have a footprint in Congress,” Rep. Pocan says.
A ‘Rapid Response Network’ Across Party Lines
Rep. Pocan explains that a caucus is a way to “centralize information about a bill, a letter, or an agency action that could impact small businesses.” He says one of the more important aspects of the caucus is its ability to extend across party lines.
“[It’s positive] to have a caucus that focuses on something that transcends ideological viewpoints,” Rep. Pocan says. “It’s about jobs. It’s about the economy. It’s about the quality of printing. It’s about the future of printing as changes are happening and making sure we’re adaptive. … We want to keep moving the industry forward and we want to make sure we’re doing it in a way that’s both sustainable for the businesses that hire people but also good for the output of the businesses.”
Rep. Tenney shares similar thoughts about the power of a bipartisan caucus, noting that it’s important to get buy-in from both sides in Congress in order to get a bill passed.
“With these very narrow margins we have, it’s always better to have a bipartisan bill where you have both sides agreeing,” she says. “It helps to facilitate the process.”
Rep. Pocan acknowledges there are opportunities to be proactive, such as addressing artificial intelligence’s potential impact on the industry, or regulatory actions involving the production or use of certain consumables. This, in particular, is something the industry experienced recently when there were several states — including New York and New Jersey — that proposed a ban on the use of carbon black materials, which can be found in black printing inks.
“If a federal agency is going to make a change to a law that could affect UV ink or something unique to the industry, we have a place to move on it,” Rep. Pocan says. “[The point of] having the caucus is that you have a rapid response network to be able to deal with things that come up.”
“We understand the complexities of the industry and how we can help. We can make sure that we don’t do harm to the industry.”
—Representative Claudia Tenney
Representatives Who Show Up
Rep. Pocan points out that Congress represents the constituents “back home, not lobbyists in Washington,” noting that it’s important to connect with individuals on a local level. Both Reps. Pocan and Tenney emphasize that meeting with printers and visiting their facilities is a powerful way to make those connections.
“One of the things we’ve been talking about is trying to meet with local printers, and we’ve talked with a number of our local printers in my region and district about doing a tour,” Rep. Tenney says. “It’s really helpful and we love to see what their needs are because it’s going to differ depending on which state [they’re in] and the regulatory burdens they face from state and local
governments.”
While it would be meaningful for the caucus members to meet with all of their constituents, there are practical limitations.
“If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re likely on the menu.”
—Representative Mark Pocan
“To be realistic … a member of Congress with over 700,000 constituents cannot stop at every single printing business in a district,” Rep. Pocan says. He adds that if several print service providers in one area come together to meet with a congressperson, it would make those conversations more feasible.
This example is just one of the benefits of the Congressional Printing Caucus, along with advocacy events, such as the PRINTING United Alliance Legislative Fly-In.
“I’m a big believer in caucuses because of the impact they can have in Congress,” Rep. Pocan notes. “Our goal is to keep it a vibrant one that connects people to their districts and vice versa.”
Looking to the Future
As Rep. Pocan notes, some of the issues the caucus will address in the coming years will be proposed legislation that could negatively impact the printing industry. At the same time, Rep. Tenney suggests there are some priorities for 2026 and beyond.
“Tax cuts are really important,” she says. “Any incentives we can give to printing companies, small businesses, and small manufacturers to be able to reinvest and grow jobs.”
She also notes it would be beneficial to bring down health care and energy costs — aspects of operating a small business that can have a significant impact.
“We want to help,” she says. “I know everyone would love to hear from [constituents]. How can we make the laws better? How can we make it more stable for our industry? It’s an amazing industry. … It’s just going to be harder and harder to compete in this industry.”
The Congressional Printing Caucus is an opportunity for the printing industry to finally have its voice heard on Capitol Hill. Rep. Pocan says getting involved in such initiatives and building a relationship with those in Washington can be influential.
“I think if you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re likely on the menu,” Rep. Pocan says. “The more you can let your elected officials know you exist and what issues are important to you, the more you are going to be in a better place.”
