Advocacy

Key sections of the USA PATRIOT Act are set to expire on June 1. The U.S. House has overwhelmingly approved the FREEDOM Act, which extends the expiring sections but includes protections for the privacy of personal information. However, there may not be enough votes to pass this new legislation in the Senate.

For St. Louis, Missouri’s Left Bank Books, the past year was the most successful — as well as one of the most eventful — in the store’s 46-year history.

Booksellers talk small business needs in Washington; Moravian Book Shop to add second location; Browseabout Books marks 40 years; New co-owners join Brookline Booksmith

The House has passed the USA FREEDOM Act, a bill that creates important safeguards for the privacy of personal information of Americans, including their bookstore and library records. A vote in the Senate is expected next week, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is promising to defeat the bill.

Artwork by more than 125 artists and illustrators will be up for bidding at the May 26 ABFE Art Auction to Benefit Free Speech in Children’s Books. Tickets for the event are on sale now, and ABFE is seeking volunteers from the bookselling and publishing world to help out at the auction.

In a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed piece, Stacy Mitchell and Fred Clements of Advocates for Independent Business took the U.S. Congress to task for favoring the interests of big corporations at the expense of Main Street retailers and small businesses.

ABA members are invited to schedule a time to talk to Senior Public Policy Analyst David Grogan at BEA about any public policy issues impacting their businesses.

In a letter sent on May 8, ABA called on its members to contact their representatives in the U.S. House to show their support for the USA FREEDOM Act, which limits the scope of data collected under the Patriot Act. The letter also urged booksellers to contact their senators to voice their opposition to S. 1035, a bill that reauthorizes Section 215 without any changes.

To assist booksellers in advocating for minimum wage policies that take into account the economic realities of independent retailing, ABA has created the Minimum Wage Legislative Tool Kit.

Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, recently testified at a Congressional Progressive Caucus forum on how federal public policy is skewed to favor big corporations and places small businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

Judy Blume, this year’s ABFE Art Auction honoree, talks about fighting back against censorship and the surprise she felt the first time one of her books was challenged.

In this commentary from the op-ed page of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance explains why the news that Amazon wants to expand its footprint in Minnesota — but only if it wins significant public subsidies — should put taxpayers and public officials on high alert.

The American Booksellers for Free Expression has joined the National Coalition Against Censorship, the Association of American Publishers, and others in reaffirming their support for Charlie Hebdo. In recent days, prominent American literary figures have criticized the French satirical magazine for cartoons that they believe are anti-Muslim.

On Tuesday, the Louisiana House Ways & Means Committee held a hearing on affiliate nexus bills that would require remote retailers to collect and remit sales tax in the state. Testifying in support of the bills was ABA member Tom Lowenburg of Octavia Books.

As a supporting cosponsor of National Small Business Week, this May 4 – 8, ABA presents a column by Maria Contreras-Sweet, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, on the event’s many offerings.