NEFI took to Capitol Hill last week alongside the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) and the American Supply Association (ASA) for their Joint Legislative Conference, where members from across the home comfort and supply industries took our policy priorities directly to lawmakers.

The week began with a productive meeting between a small team of NEFI leaders and senior administration officials from the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Energy Dominance Council. Our discussion focused on the need for consumer energy choice, Northeast grid reliability, and federal support for biofuels, among other issues.

The first day of the conference featured policy briefings and guest speakers, with panelists updating attendees on the status of key legislation affecting energy choice and home appliance efficiency standards. NEFI President Jim Collura spoke on a panel on federal legislation alongside the head lobbyists from allied organizations, including Allison Ealey of the American Gas Association (AGA), Alex Ayers of Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), and Bob Wolfer of NEFI member company Bradford White.

NEFI spent the remainder of the week supporting the conference and joining PHCC and ASA in meetings with Congressional Offices on The Energy Choice Act (H.R. 3699), which would preserve the right of American homeowners and businesses to choose the fuels that best meet their needs and push back on the growing patchwork of state and local mandates that would ban or restrict the use of liquid fuels. Also discussed was the Stronger Workforce for America Act (H.R. 8210), the long-awaited reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which would require 50 percent of funds in each local workforce area to be spent on skills development rather than administration, expand incumbent-worker training so employers can upskill their existing technicians, and establish industry partnership grants that give associations like ours a stronger voice in setting state and local workforce priorities.

The Joint Legislative Conference was a powerful reminder that the home comfort and skilled-trades industries are at our most effective when we speak with one voice. NEFI thanks PHCC and ASA for their leadership in convening the conference, and our members and coalition partners who took the time to share their stories with Washington. 

NEFI hopes to increase our participation in next year's legislative conference, which will be held next year on May 18 , we encourage NEFI members to save the date.

NEFI leaders outside of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, moments after their meeting with senior administration staff. L-R: Anthony Silecchia, Mike Estes, Ted Noonan, Steve Walsh, Jim Collura, Catherine Erasmus, Kevin Beckett, Mike DeBerdine, Doug Goodman, and Roger Marran.