ISSA, The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, announced that as part of National Cleaning Week, March 26-April 1, more than 75 cleaning industry leaders are in Washington D.C. participating in the 2023 ISSA Clean Advocacy Summit, the premier Capitol Hill fly-in event for the cleaning industry. On March 29, these advocates will meet with more than 80 congressional offices in support of tariff relief, ending period poverty and an expansion of the workforce by calling for the creation of a new temporary visa program.

Attendees include manufacturers and distributors of cleaning products, equipment, and supplies, as well as service providers and staff responsible for ensuring clean and healthy schools, homes, hospitals, hotels, workplaces, and other spaces.

“With a new Congress and many new faces, it is more important than ever for ISSA and the cleaning industry to be at the table,” says ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “Our industry proved essential during the pandemic and the industry’s leaders want to reinforce that healthy and safe workplaces and spaces are an important contributor to the economy and public health.”

These leaders will ask Congress to create a new temporary worker program for essential workers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “About 335,500 openings for janitors and building cleaners are projected each year, on average, over the decade,” which includes a 4% annual projected growth. Summit attendees will advocate that the cleaning industry needs a predictable, reliable, and legal source of supplemental labor to continue to provide healthy workplaces, schools, hospitals, homes, hotels, and other spaces.