Congress returns in January to begin the second session of the 119th Congress, but significant work remains. Only half of the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills have been enacted, and Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are racing to prevent a partial government shutdown when the current continuing resolution expires on January 30.

One of the key takeaways from the American Supply Association’s LEAD strategic planning retreat earlier this year in Dana Point, California was the question of how is the PHCP-PVF industry addressing the top-of-mind subject of the transfer of industry knowledge from retiring veterans to the next generation?

As product data continues to play a larger role in distribution operations, digital commerce, and internal systems, many organizations are reassessing how they manage and govern that data. In those conversations, one question comes up repeatedly. If a company already receives product data from a trusted source, why is an industry product data standard still necessary?