WASHINGTON, D.C. — Earlier this month, Eric Hoplin, President and CEO of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), testified before the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections during a hearing titled “Building an AI-Ready America: Safer Workplaces Through Smarter Technology.”
Representing an industry that employs more than 6 million Americans and contributes roughly one-third of U.S. GDP, Hoplin outlined how wholesalers and distributors are responsibly deploying artificial intelligence and automation-assisted technologies to enhance workplace safety across warehouses and distribution centers.
Hoplin also cautioned that overly burdensome or inconsistent regulatory frameworks could slow adoption and limit access, especially for small and mid-sized family-owned distributors that make up more than 80 percent of the industry. He urged Congress to pursue a streamlined federal approach that protects innovation while ensuring responsible deployment.
You can view his testimony here.
Tagged with government relations, NAW