Advocacy

By Jay Hochstedt of Changing Hands Bookstore

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) recently announced the release of their latest newsletter for Get Caught Reading, the Association of American Publisher's campaign to promote the joy of reading, now beginning its seventh year.

On July 25, ABA joined a number of retail and dealer trade groups in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA) -- a federal law enacted in 1936 that protects individual competitors from price discrimination in favor of large chain stores by their suppliers. ABA submitted its friend-of-the-court brief in support of the Arkansas-based truck dealer Reeder-Simco GMC, which claims Volvo violated RPA by favoring other truck dealers.

As previously reported by Bookselling This Week, in late July, Bruce V. Spiva of the law firm Tycko, Zavareei & Spiva offered comments on behalf of the American Booksellers Association to the Antitrust Modernization Commission Robinson-Patman Act Panel, which was established by Congress to review the nation's antitrust laws.

On Tuesday, July 26, the U.S. House of Representatives passed The Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R. 525), legislation that would allow for the creation of Association Health Plans (AHPs). AHPs would enable small businesses to band together across state lines through bona fide trade and professional associations to purchase affordable health packages for themselves and their employees. The bill passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 263 - 165.

The American Booksellers Association was recently invited to offer comments before a committee appointed by Congress to look at U.S. federal antitrust law with the view of updating it. The Antitrust Modernization Commission Robinson-Patman Act Panel asked ABA to offer comments because of the association's past lawsuits against major publishers and bookstore chains Barnes & Noble and Borders, which were filed under provisions of the act.

In early July, author James Patterson and Time Warner Book Group announced the debut of the James Patterson PageTurner Awards, annual cash prizes totaling $75,000, intended to single out and support the people, companies, schools, and other institutions that find original and effective ways to promote the excitement of books.

Authors interested in thanking literacy advocates, whether they're booksellers, librarians, or English teachers, typically do so on a book's acknowledgementspage. However, to show his appreciation, bestselling author James Patterson is upping the ante.

ABA President Mitchell Kaplan, outgoing Vice President Suzy Staubach, and incoming Vice President Russ Lawrence at the Town Hall Meeting. ABA's Town Hall Meeting, held on Friday, June 3, at BookExpo America in New York City, was dominated by discussions of e-fairness, health insurance for small businesses, and the issue of damaged shi

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBC) and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) each held hearings last week regarding Association Health Plans (AHPs) and the small business health care crisis. AHPs would enable small businesses to band together across state lines through bona fide trade and professional associations to purchase affordable health packages for themselves and their employees.