Now that the 118th Congress is convened, committee assignments filled and hearings and policy agendas underway, let’s turn our attention to the eight newest members of the U.S. Senate. Democrats hold a slim majority of 51-49 in this chamber, which means each senator could play a critical role in moving any bill through the legislative process. All of these freshmen, or first-term senators, sit on committees important to the convenience and fuel retailing industry, handling such issues as swipe fees, electric vehicles, fuels, SNAP, privacy and labor, among many others.
Several of the new senators served in the U.S. House of Representatives, and NACS has already had an opportunity to build a strong relationship with them.”
Several of the new senators served in the U.S. House of Representatives, and NACS has already had an opportunity to build a strong relationship with them working on issues together. With the senators who have not previously served in federal office, the NACS government relations team has been working to educate their legislative staff about our industry and create new relationships. A critical part of that effort is bringing together these new offices with NACS members from these states.
SEN. KATIE BRITT (R-ALA.)
Katie Britt was elected to the Senate in 2022 having never served in public office before. While she is newly elected, she is not unfamiliar with Congress. Following her graduation from the University of Alabama, she worked for her predecessor, Sen. Richard Shelby, eventually serving as his chief of staff. She is a practicing attorney by trade and was CEO of the Business Council of Alabama from 2019-21. In the Senate, Britt serves on three committees: Banking, Appropriations and Rules. Her committee assignments on banking and appropriations will be important to the convenience and fuel retailing industry, especially with payments issues and swipe fees.
SEN. TED BUDD (R-N.C.)
Ted Budd served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District before his election to the Senate in 2022. Prior to running for Congress in 2016, Budd had never held elected office. He was a business owner, operating a successful gun store and range. During his time in the House, Budd defined himself as a conservative and member of the House Freedom Caucus. He also served on the House Financial Services Committee. He was a vocal supporter of a proposal in 2017 that would have repealed the Durbin Amendment,
the debit swipe-fee reforms that were championed by NACS and the convenience store industry. In the Senate, Budd is serving on four committees: Small Business; Health, Education, Labor and Pension; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and Armed Services. Issues such as labor, health care, transportation, infrastructure, privacy, data security, gasoline prices and others are in the jurisdiction of his committee assignments and important to the convenience industry.
SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA.)
Prior to his election to the Senate in 2022, John Fetterman served four years as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and 13 years as mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania. He also worked in the insurance industry and for AmeriCorps. Fetterman positioned himself as a progressive during his years in Pennsylvania, focusing on youth programs and redevelopment of low-income areas. He has battled health issues, including suffering a stroke during the 2022 campaign. In the Senate, Fetterman serves on five committees: Agriculture, Banking, Environment and Public Works, the Joint Economic Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging. NACS will be working with him on issues such as the farm bill, SNAP, swipe fees and fuels.
SEN. MARKWAYNE MULLIN (R-OKLA.)
Markwayne Mullin served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District before succeeding retiring Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) in 2022. He is the first tribal citizen of the Cherokee nation to serve in the U.S. Senate and the second Native American to serve in the Senate. Prior to running for Congress, Mullin was a businessman and rancher. While in the U.S. House of Representatives, Mullin served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where NACS worked closely with him and his staff on fuels, climate, privacy, menu labeling and numerous other issues. Mullin also participated in a NACS In Store event. In the Senate, Mullin serves on four committees: Armed Services; Environment and Public Works; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Indian Affairs. Both the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Health, Labor and Pensions Committee have jurisdiction over important issues affecting the convenience industry, including fuels, infrastructure, labor and health care.
SEN. PETE RICKETTS (R-NEB.)
Pete Ricketts served as the 40th governor of Nebraska before his appointment to the U.S. Senate in January. As governor, he created a business-friendly climate and focused much of his administration on economic development and eliminating state taxes on Social Security and veterans’ benefits. Before running for governor, Ricketts worked for TD Ameritrade and is a former board member of the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise. In the Senate, Ricketts serves on three committees: Environment and Public Works, Foreign Relations and the Special Committee on Aging. With fuels-related issues a top priority for NACS, Rickets’ assignment to the Environment and Public Works Committee will be important to the industry.
SEN. ERIC SCHMITT (R-MO.)
Eric Schmitt served as Attorney General of Missouri before being elected to the U.S. Senate to replace retiring Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO). In addition, he held numerous state and local offices, such as state senator and treasurer of Missouri. In the Senate, Schmitt serves on three committees: Armed Services; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the Joint Economic Committee. His committee jurisdiction over commerce and transportation will also make him a key figure as the infrastructure legislation passed by the last Congress is implemented, along with privacy, data security and gasoline price issues.
SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OHIO)
J.D. Vance served in the Marine Corps, was a combat correspondent in Iraq and worked in finance after his military service and before becoming a U.S. Senator. He serves on four Senate committees: Banking; Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; the Joint Economic Committee; and the Special Committee on Aging. His position on the banking committee may make him an important figure in our industries’ efforts to pass the Credit Card Competition Act. In addition, privacy, data security, transportation and infrastructure issues all fall in the Commerce Committee jurisdiction.
SEN. PETER WELCH (D-VT.)
Prior to his election to the Senate in 2022, Peter Welch represented Vermont in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years. Welch previously served two stints in the Vermont Senate from 1981 to 1989 and 2001 to 2007. During his time in the House of Representatives, Welch often worked across party lines on legislation. In fact, during his 2008 reelection campaign, Welch had the rare distinction of being the nominee of both the Democratic and Republican parties for Vermont’s lone House seat.
Welch was also one of the first members of Congress to participate in a NACS In Store event.”
Welch has long been a champion of the convenience retailing industry and has led the fight for reform of credit and debit-card swipe fees, including sponsoring legislation to reform these fees and pressing regulators to act against abuses of the credit card industry. In addition, he was helpful on menu labeling, privacy and data security issues. Welch was also one of the first members of Congress to participate in a NACS In Store event and participated in the 100th In Store event with two other members of Congress at a convenience store in Washington, D.C. In the Senate, Welch serves on four committees: Agriculture; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Judiciary; and Rules.