Sarah Arbes

B. A. Journalism, University of Oklahoma

·      Established the Interchange Fees Working Group to engage member companies in federal legislation aimed at bringing credit card providers to the table with merchants to negotiate the credit card payment fees and terms by which retailers must abide. Individuals from government affairs, legal counsel, payments and credit are collectively involved. Working Group members are kept up-to-date and involved with the legislative process via e-mail and occasional conference calls.

·      Restructured the Privacy and Data Security Task Force, which is composed of government relations, legal counsel and information technology representatives in the retail industry. This group follows and weighs in on current trends in public policy at the federal and state levels, including both legislatures and governmental agencies. Legislative issues tracked include data breach, behavioral advertising and cyber security. Legislative Working Group members are alerted with information via e-mail, participate in as-needed conference calls and draft white papers that inform the public about matters of interest.

·      Solicited member company input and drafted comprehensive comments for the U.S. Labor Department’s use in drafting final regulations reforming the Family and Medical Leave Act. These comments were cited by the Department 16 times in the final report, reflecting the value that officials received in hearing from the retail industry on this matter which affects every single member of our workforce.

·      Helped lead the effort to educate members of Congress about the retail role in the digital television transition and to introduce legislation waiving the import tax on the same converter boxes that Congress has attempted to make more affordable by offering $40 discount coupons to consumers. A bipartisan, bicameral bill was introduced with numerous co-sponsors.

Working Groups:

Privacy and Data Security Legislative Working Group

Before joining RILA in 2007, Sarah Arbes served as a congressional liaison at the U.S. Department of Labor. In this role, she lobbied Congress on employee benefits issues such as the Family and Medical Leave Act and management-union relations matters, including the Employee Free Choice Act. 

Arbes previously worked in the office of U.S. Senator Jim Talent of Missouri where she assisted immigrants with visas and auto workers affected by mass layoffs. Prior to working in politics, Arbes spent several years as a national media planner and buyer in a handful of advertising agencies, advising corporate clients on print, radio, outdoor and online ad placement and cost.