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Over the last several weeks, the House has introduced and passed out of committee 11 components of their massive budget reconciliation bill that cuts taxes, cuts various mandatory spending and invests in border security and national defense. Here are links to the committees that have passed their reconciliation proposals:

• Armed Services Committee approved their title 35-21. This title appropriates roughly $100 billion into weapons systems, shipbuilding, and military readiness activities.
• Education and Workforce Committee approved their title 21-14. This title largely reforms the federal student aid system by restricting eligibility and placing more financial risk on institutions of higher education.
• Financial Services Committee approved their title 30-22. This title rescinds “green” programs under the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• Homeland Security Committee approved their title 18-14. This title appropriates roughly $90 billion for border security infrastructure, personnel, and training.
• Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved their title 22-21. This title largely reforms retirement and benefit programs for federal employees.
• House Judiciary Committee approved their title 23-17. This title largely imposes new fees on immigration applications.
• Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved their title 36-30. This bill appropriates funds for Coast Guard equipment and infrastructure, rescinds “Green New Deal” transportation programs, and imposes fees on electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Natural Resources Committee approved their title 26-17. This title largely opens up federal lands to oil and gas development.
• Energy and Commerce Committee approved their title 30-24. This title deals largely with Medicaid.
• Agriculture Committee approved their title 29-25. This title deals with SNAP benefits and includes a $60 billion farm bill package.
• Ways and Means Committee approved their title 26-19. This title deals with the tax code.

The House Budget Committee will bundle all portions together into a single bill to markup on May 16, 2025, ready for consideration by the whole House on the floor. If the House can pass the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” or OBBB, the Senate would begin its own deliberations, and their version would be drastically different. Republican leaders originally hoped to sign the OBBB package into law by the end of May, but their new goal for passage is July 4, 2025, but Senate staff indicated that they believe the real deadline is before the start of the August recess. Read more here.

On May 7, 2025, President Trump withdrew the nomination of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to be the next Surgeon General just days before her scheduled Senate confirmation hearing. The Surgeon General is simultaneously head of the U.S. Public Health Service and a figurehead for communicating the federal government’s health priorities. Nesheiwat came under fire from Trump influencers like Laura Loomer who criticized her for having previously supported COVID-19 vaccines, as well as some inconsistencies in her credentials.

In her place, Trump tapped Dr. Casey Means. Means is a holistic medicine advocate who has risen to prominence in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement headed by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr. She has long been critical of the current health industry, claiming it has a financial incentive to keep people sick. She believes diet, exercise and other lifestyle choices are the primary means to one’s health.

Since her nomination, many traditional health experts have criticized Means for having not completed her medical residency and not being a practicing physician. Meanwhile, Loomer, who was instrumental in Nesheiwat’s withdrawn nomination, is also unhappy with Means, claiming she “talks to trees.” The major outcry leads one to wonder if Means will get confirmed or not.

Arlington, TX
February 16-18, 2026

Register online today!

Register now to increase your opportunity of being assigned a preferred booth location through the CDA priority point system. The CDA priority point system expires July 31. Exhibit space is assigned on a first-come first-served basis after July 31.

At Marketplace, the focus is to bring together distributors with their top trading partners and suppliers over a three-day period, featuring a one-day turnkey trade show, focused education sessions, a distributor showcase and enhanced networking opportunities.

Attendee registration opens in September.

By attending Marketplace 2026, you agree to the CDA Notices & Disclaimers.

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On May 12, 2025, CDA sent a letter to President Donald Trump to raise his awareness about important issues involving electronic vapor products. The letter expresses the urgent need for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) to expeditiously finalize the review process of up to 369,000 pending Pre-Market Tobacco Applications (PMTAs) so that adults have additional authorized product alternatives. CDA’s letter also focused on the need for the Federal Multi-Agency Task Force that was created in June 2024 to use all of its enforcement powers to address the illicit vape market.

On May 12, 2025, the U.S. and China jointly announced they will temporarily lower tariffs on each other’s products. The combined 145% U.S. levies on most Chinese imports were reduced to 30%, including the rate tied to fentanyl, on May 14, 2025, while the 125% Chinese duties on U.S. goods were dropped to 10%. “We had a very robust and productive discussion on steps forward on fentanyl,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. “We are in agreement that neither side wants to decouple.”

The announcement represents a step toward de-escalating a tariff conflict that has led to a slump in trade across the Pacific Ocean. The two countries had earlier reported “substantial progress” in their talks, which lifted markets and helped Chinese stocks recoup their losses since President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcement of tariffs on April 2, 2025. Read more here.

In his first appearance on Capitol Hill since his confirmation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified on May 14, 2025, in front of the House Appropriations and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committees. Democrats and Republicans in both chambers questioned RFK, Jr. about vaccine messaging, agency layoffs and other HHS priorities. Read more here.

The Hershey Industry Performance Analysis (HIPA) Report is the most comprehensive financial benchmarking report in the convenience distribution industry. Thanks to The Hershey Company, participating CDA distributor members can access it at no cost.

Gain valuable financial and operational insights to make data-driven decisions and improve your business. The survey deadline has been extended to May 15 – don’t miss your chance to participate and receive key benchmarking data for your business.

For more details, click here or contact Lauren Herbert.

Since returning from their Spring recess, Congressional republicans are planning to pass a massive bill through the reconciliation process which allows the majority party to bypass the Senate filibuster rules once per fiscal year, thus needing 51 votes instead of the traditional 60 votes to pass most legislation. Prior to the Spring recess, both chambers adopted a budget resolution, setting the stage for the passage of a massive bill that cuts taxes, cuts federal spending and invests in border security and national defense.

11 House committees have begun marking up their respective legislation pursuant to the reconciliation instructions adopted earlier this month. Each committee is at different stages of their respective bills. Eight committees have passed their bills (see below). The three remaining committees are still deliberating the most difficult decisions. Two of those, the Ways and Means Committee (dealing with the tax code) and the Agriculture Committee (dealing with food assistance) are facing difficulties. But the committee facing the greatest pressure is the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Republicans on that committee are evaluating how to achieve $880 billion in federal savings over the next decade. The bulk of those savings would be achieved by making major changes to Medicaid. After all the committees complete their markups, the House Budget Committee will bundle them together into a single bill ready for consideration by the whole House on the floor. After that, the Senate would begin its own deliberations, with some major differences in the size and scope of their spending cuts. Republican leaders previously hoped to get the bill signed into law by Memorial Day. That ambitious timeline now seems unachievable. Increasingly, Republicans are now saying the goal is to pass the Reconciliation Package by July 4, 2025.

Here are links to the committees that have already released or passed their reconciliation proposals.

• Armed Services Committee - approved their title 35-21. This title appropriates roughly $100 billion into weapons systems, shipbuilding, and military readiness activities.
• Education and Workforce Committee - approved their title 21-14. This title largely reforms the federal student aid system by restricting eligibility and placing more financial risk on institutions of higher education.
• Financial Services Committee - approved their title 30-22. This title rescinds “green” programs under the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• Homeland Security Committee - approved their title 18-14. This title appropriates roughly $90 billion for border security infrastructure, personnel, and training.
• Oversight and Government Reform Committee - approved their title 22-21. This title largely reforms retirement and benefit programs for federal employees.
• House Judiciary Committee - approved their title 23-17. This title largely imposes new fees on immigration applications.
• Transportation and Infrastructure Committee - approved their title 36-30. This bill appropriates funds for Coast Guard equipment and infrastructure, rescinds “Green New Deal” transportation programs, and imposes fees on electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Natural Resources Committee - approved their title 26-17. This title largely opens up federal lands to oil and gas development.

On May 1, 2025, Dr. Brian A. King, the former director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), has joined the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

On April 1, 2025, it was reported that Dr. King was placed on administrative leave, with dozens of other CTP staffers being issued letters of dismissal. King was offered reassignment to the Indian Health Service. As part of his new role as executive vice president (EVP) at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, King will oversee the organization’s work in the U.S. from the local level to the federal level.

Arlington, TX
February 16-18, 2026

Register online today!

Register now to increase your opportunity of being assigned a preferred booth location through the CDA priority point system. The CDA priority point system expires July 31. Exhibit space is assigned on a first-come first-served basis after July 31.

At Marketplace, the focus is to bring together distributors with their top trading partners and suppliers over a three-day period, featuring a one-day turnkey trade show, focused education sessions, a distributor showcase and enhanced networking opportunities.

Attendee registration opens in September.

By attending Marketplace 2026, you agree to the CDA Notices & Disclaimers.

About Marketplace | Exhibitor Prospectus | Trade Show

On May 5, 2025, nineteen Democratic-led states plus the District of Columbia announced they are suing the Trump administration and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., claiming a mass reorganization of the agency — eliminating offices, cutting 10,000 jobs, and cutting public health programs — violates federal law and the Constitution. The lawsuit argues these actions bypass Congress and endanger services like Medicaid eligibility, mental health care and disease tracking. A related suit by unions and major cities echoes these concerns, citing unlawful overreach of executive power. Read more here.

The Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act, H.R. 2444, introduced by Congressman John James (R-MI), passed the House of Representatives on April 28, 2025. The bipartisan legislation is aimed at strengthening supply chains and creating manufacturing jobs by fostering collaboration between the government and the private sector. Key provisions of the legislation include:

• Creating a Supply Chain Resiliency Program within the Department of Commerce to identify and address gaps in critical industries and emerging technologies.
• Establishing an Early Warning System to predict and prevent disruptions using advanced technology.
• Fostering Public-Private Collaboration to develop best practices and enhance supply chain security, with input from labor, industry, and government stakeholders.
• Reducing Dependence on Adversarial Nations by incentivizing domestic manufacturing and diversifying supply sources.

The International Trade Administration’s Industry and Analysis unit would be responsible for promoting the stability and resilience of critical US supply chains and addressing supply shocks under H.R. 2444. The bill would establish an interagency working group to assess critical supply chains, identify vulnerability in critical industries and evaluate the ability of domestic manufacturers or manufacturers based in allied countries to provide critical goods and technologies. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the measure on April 8, 2025, by a 50-1 vote. Read more here.

USPack, established in 1986, is a prominent last-mile logistics provider serving Fortune 500 companies, major hospital systems and top local brands across the U.S. Specializing in retail, big & bulky deliveries and healthcare, USPack leverages partnerships to optimize truck capacities and drive efficiencies. The company's pooling strategy supports order fluctuations, flexible replenishment and cost reduction. With a national network, USPack aligns delivery routes for maximum efficiency, handling all logistics so clients can enjoy the benefits.

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USPack Logistics LLC
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(866) 803-3499
www.gouspack.com

National Retail Solutions (NRS) offers POS systems and card payment acceptance for USA and Canada independent retailers. Robust hardware and intuitive software streamline transactions, inventory tracking, e-commerce and reporting, plus integration with Google and DoorDash. NRS Pay offers two payment acceptance plans: Clean Rate and Cash Discount. Both include a free credit card reader, zero hidden fees, no long-term commitment and no early termination fee. Choose from Puma, Cheetah, Panther Tablet POS or Panther Workstation. Add Premium Features individually, or for the best value, bundle them within ‘Pro' or ‘Advanced’ software.

Contact information for National Retail Solutions is as follows:

James Bleemer
jbleemer@nrsplus.com
National Retail Solutions
520 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(908) 295-7737
https://nrsplus.com/

The Hershey Industry Performance Analysis (HIPA) Report is the most comprehensive financial benchmarking report in the convenience distribution industry. Thanks to The Hershey Company, participating CDA distributor members can access it at no cost.

Gain valuable financial and operational insights to make data-driven decisions and improve your business. The survey deadline has been extended to May 15 – don’t miss your chance to participate and receive key benchmarking data for your business.

For more details, click here or contact Lauren Herbert.

Arlington, TX
February 16-18, 2026

Register online today!

Register now to increase your opportunity of being assigned a preferred booth location through the CDA priority point system. The CDA priority point system expires July 31. Exhibit space is assigned on a first-come first-served basis after July 31.

At Marketplace, the focus is to bring together distributors with their top trading partners and suppliers over a three-day period, featuring a one-day turnkey trade show, focused education sessions, a distributor showcase and enhanced networking opportunities.

Attendee registration opens in September.

By attending Marketplace 2026, you agree to the CDA Notices & Disclaimers.

About Marketplace | Exhibitor Prospectus | Trade Show

Last week, a letter was sent by 18 U.S. Senators to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Acting Director Dr. Susan Monarez, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Brian Makary, outlining their concerns regarding the impact that “drastic staffing cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services will have on efforts to reduce smoking and other tobacco use.” The letter contains numerous questions, including how many staff at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) have been terminated and how does the FDA CTP intend to spend the $712 million in manufacturer tobacco user fees received by the agency each year. Also, the senators state that without adequate personnel, “CTP will not be able to meet its statutory requirement to enforce the law and effectively conduct premarket review of new tobacco products and prevent the entry of products that will increase youth tobacco use.”

On April 29, 2025, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary said in an interview with MedPageToday that the FDA doesn’t plan to execute a reorganization of the agency but will consolidate offices that handle travel, technology and other departments.

Makary’s comments come after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) executed layoffs on April 1, 2025, across federal health agencies, aiming to reduce the size of its workforce. The cuts targeted 3,500 employees at the FDA and broadly hit staff working in program management, human resources, technology, policy, communications and other administrative areas. Makary said in the interview that the FDA’s staff has increased over the years, which resulted in an “increased regulatory creep.” Read more here.

On April 28, 2025, the Trump Administration signed an Executive Order to ensure anyone behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle is properly qualified and proficient in English. The Fact Sheet states:

• The Order directs the Secretary of Transportation to rescind guidance that watered down the law requiring English proficiency for commercial drivers.
• It mandates revising out-of-service criteria to ensure drivers violating English proficiency rules are placed out-of-service, enhancing roadway safety.
• It instructs the Secretary of Transportation to review state issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses to identify any irregularities and ensure American drivers are validly licensed and qualified.
• The Order directs the Secretary of Transportation to carry out additional administrative, regulatory, or enforcement actions to improve the working conditions of America’s truck drivers.

Read more here.

April 29, 2025 at 1:30 pm ET

Register now for an exclusive 30-minute Q&A webinar with Zack Kass – Advisor, Futurist, and Former Head of Go-To-Market at Open AI. Following his keynote at CDA’s Marketplace event, Zack will answer your most pressing questions about the evolving AI landscape and how businesses can successfully navigate the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Submit your questions in advance when you register to increase the chances of your question being answered during the session. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with one of the most foremost experts in the field of AI!

Can’t attend the webinar on April 29? Still register to attend, and don’t forget to submit your questions. You’ll receive a recording of the webinar directly to your inbox on April 30.

On April 21, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court sent a legal challenge back to Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to evaluate whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lawfully denied marketing applications for flavored e-cigarettes. The case that was sent back to the Fifth Circuit is FDA v. SWT Global Supply Inc. This order comes after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the FDA that the agency did not arbitrarily deny pre-market tobacco applications for e-vapor products sold by Triton Distribution and Wages and White Lion Investments.

In the Triton Distribution decision, the Supreme Court justices reinstated the FDA’s denial of applications to sell flavored e-cigarettes and reversed a ruling from the Fifth Circuit that determined the agency had changed the rules for issuing marketing authorization orders to sell e-vapor products.

In addition, the Supreme Court also declined to accept for review three vaping-related cases, including Magellan Technology Inc. v. FDA, Lotus Vaping Technologies Inc. v FDA, and Logic Technology Development LLC v. FDA. In each of these cases, the FDA had issued marketing denial orders preventing the sale of the e-vapor products which were the subject of the lawsuits.

Arlington, TX
February 16-18, 2026

Exhibit space is selling fast. Register online today!

Register now to increase your opportunity of being assigned a preferred booth location through the CDA priority point system. The CDA priority point system expires July 31. Exhibit space is assigned on a first-come first-served basis after July 31.

At Marketplace, the focus is to bring together distributors with their top trading partners and suppliers over a three-day period, featuring a one-day turnkey trade show, focused education sessions, and enhanced networking opportunities.

Attendee registration opens in September.

By attending Marketplace 2026, you agree to the CDA Notices & Disclaimers.

About Marketplace | Exhibitor Prospectus | Trade Show

On April 23, 2025, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, announced that he will not seek reelection in 2026. His retirement will mark the end of a 44-year congressional career focused on immigration, the federal justice system and anti-smoking initiatives. During his tenure, Sen. Durbin was a leading advocate for the Tobacco Control Act that gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over tobacco products. Read more here.

On April 22, 2025, President Trump said the 145% tariff rate on China will be significantly reduced after he negotiates with Chinese President Xi Jinping, expressing optimism about a trade deal. So far, no meeting between the two leaders has been scheduled. Trump told reporters, “One hundred forty-five percent is very high. It won’t be that high, it’s not going to be that high…it won’t be anywhere near that high…It will come down substantially, but it won’t be zero.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a closed-door investor summit on April 22, 2025, that the tariff standoff with China is unsustainable and that he expects the situation to de-escalate. Negotiations haven’t started but a deal is possible, the secretary said, according to attendees. The White House says it is closing in on general agreements with Japan and India to stave off tariffs, but details are unclear. Read more here.

On April 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a series of new measures to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply, which is part of the administration’s broader initiative to Make America Healthy Again. The FDA is taking the following actions:

• Establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives.
• Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months.
• Working with industry to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes — FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1 and FD&C Blue No. 2 — from the food supply by the end of next year.
• Authorizing four new natural color additives in the coming weeks, while also accelerating the review and approval of others.
• Partnering with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct comprehensive research on how food additives impact children’s health and development.
• Requesting food companies to remove FD&C Red No. 3 sooner than the 2027-2028 deadline previously required.

The FDA is fast-tracking the review of calcium phosphate, Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue, butterfly pea flower extract and other natural alternatives to synthetic food dyes. The agency is also taking steps to issue guidance and provide regulatory flexibilities to industries.

MiO, which stands for Mobile Intelligent Ordering, is the mobile-first ordering platform built for modern distributors. It enables wholesale, retail and convenience sales reps and store users to move faster, sell smarter and deliver a better experience. From barcode ordering to AI-powered suggestions and real-time inventory visibility, MiO makes operations instantly more accessible, usable and intelligent.

Contact information for MiO is as follows:

Jen Grenz, CEO
jen@getmio.co
MiO
PO Box 11481
Chicago, IL 60611
(719) 310-3774
www.getmio.co