IOWA FIELD REPORT MAILBAG: THE SHOP SAFE ACT ENDANGERS IOWA’S SMALL BUSINESSES

This op-ed originally appeared in The Iowa Field Report on June 29, 2022. 
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Sen. Chuck Grassley’s appointment to the conference committee on USICA/COMPETES is a win for Iowa. He’s a tough negotiator who’s proven to prioritize people over political agendas. That being said, it’s important that Sen. Grassley understands just how detrimental the SHOP SAFE Act would be to online sellers like me if it passed in this omnibus package. ​

As written, SHOP SAFE unfairly penalizes small businesses in an attempt to curb counterfeit sales online and could subject them to lawsuits from big-name, foreign competitors. 
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Record-breaking inflation rates and supply chain issues are causing enough problems. My small business doesn’t have additional resources to go toe-to-toe with huge corporations over more red-tape regulations. If this policy passes, my online storefront could be forced to shutter its virtual doors for good. Sen. Grassley, Iowa’s small businesses are counting on you to make sure SHOP SAFE isn’t in the final version of the USICA/COMPETES package. It’s just too dangerous of a bill. 
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Shelby Smith, owner of Gym-N-Eats Crickets