AAFA USMCA testimony: On Friday, November 16, AAFA President and CEO Rick Helfenbein testified at the U.S. International Trade Commission's hearing on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the potential impacts to the U.S. economy. For questions related to AAFA’s trade advocacy efforts, or about joining the Government Relations Committee, contact AAFA’s Steve Lamar.

Last week on The Hill: Last week, AAFA’s Government Relations (GR) Committee gathered in Washington to discuss the latest policy developments impacting the industry, followed by a visit to Capitol Hill on Thursday, November 15 to meet with Members of Congress in support of smart trade policies.

Committee meetings next week: Members of the AAFA team including Nate Herman, and Kristen Kern will travel to New York next week to host the fall 2018 Environmental Committee (EC) Meeting and Social Responsibility Committee (SRC) Meeting, both at Infor’s offices. A very special thank you to Infor for hosting these important meetings! For more information on joining either committee, contact membership@aafaglobal.org. AAFA will be previewing important new member-only resources including the 2018 Environmental Benchmarking Survey and new reports covering best practices around working hours and denim finishing. Stay tuned for updates as those are released.

California wildfire disaster relief: Two Ten Footwear Foundation is providing emergency financial assistance, referral services and counseling to footwear employees and their families who have been affected by the devastating wildfires in California and surrounding areas. The most immediate need is to get these families into safe, temporary housing and make sure they have basic needs, like food and clothing. They anticipate their needs will increase in the months to come as families begin to assess the damage and rebuild their lives. Donate here or contact Kelli-Beth Vecchione with questions.

AAFA internship opportunities: Know someone interested in interning with the AAFA team in Washington, D.C.? We are currently accepting internship applications for opportunities in AAFA’s Government Relations as well as Communications and Marketing departments.

See all of AAFA’s latest letters, comments, and testimony here.