The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Majority Leader
United States Senate

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
United States House of Representatives

The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Minority Leader
United States Senate

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
Minority Leader
United States House of Representatives

Re: In Support of National “Critical Supply Chain” Designation for the Tag and Label Industry

Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy:

On behalf of the Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute (TLMI), the primary trade association for the tag, label and connected supply chain industries, I am writing to express our urgent request for clear, consistent, federal parameters around “essential business operations”, inclusive of their supply chain partners.

TLMI represents the $14 B tag and label industry, covering roughly 2,300 production facilities in all 50 states. The majority of TLMI member companies are local or regional privately owned businesses, many with 50 or less employees.

The bulk of our member companies’ businesses are in supply and service to numerous “essential” operations, including the food, beverage, medicine, pharmaceutical, medical equipment and numerous in-demand products for consumers and businesses.

The labels provided by TLMI member companies provide approved and often required warnings, advisories, ingredient and allergen information, for a large swath of consumer and industrial products. Simply put, TLMI member companies operating in these supply channels need the ability and assurance to operate, and be as fully functioning as possible.

TLMI member companies are currently contending with varying, conflicting and often ambiguous local and state government business restriction orders, as local governments continue their efforts to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

While the Dept. of Homeland Security’s current non-binding guidance is helpful in identifying a broad set of critical industries and infrastructure, it can and should be strengthened, by highlighting the role that these industries’ supply chain partners play in supporting essential consumer and business marketplaces.

In protection of our member companies’ highly valued employee workforce, TLMI member companies continue to receive guidance, and adhere to all requirements issued by the CDC regarding sanitation, employee spacing and other COVID-19 workplace prevention measures.

Thank you for your consideration of our request.

Dan Muenzer
President