NECA recently held its 2018 Legislated Conference and Political Leadership Council Summit in Washington D.C to go over the important topic facing electrical contractors today, and to form it’s priority issues for the rest of the year. Following the meeting, NECA released the following statement on the take-aways from the meeting.
The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) is the nationally recognized voice of the electrical construction industry. NECA’s 4,000 member contractors bring electrical power, lighting, and communications systems to buildings and communities across the United States.
The following items are NECA’s priority issues for the 115th Congress:
Invest in Our Nation’s Infrastructure
A robust investment in our nation’s infrastructure is essential to keeping NECA’s electricalcontractors in business, their employees working, rebuilding our nation, and ensuring a sound economy.
- Find a Sustainable Solution to Fix the Highway Trust Fund
- Modernize our Airports and Air Traffic Infrastructure
- Authorize and Fully Fund the Clean Water, and Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund Programs
- Support Long-Term Investment in Waterways Infrastructure
- Expand Investment in Federal Facilities
- Upgrade and Modernize Pipeline Infrastructure
Modernize Our Nation’s Energy Policy
The electrical construction industry specifies, installs and services products related to energy production and efficiency. Deployment of energy efficiency technology and infrastructure has been slow due to marketplace, government and economic barriers. NECA supports a comprehensive energy policy that increases all avenues of domestic production including domestic oil and natural gas exploration as well as clean and renewable energy sources.
- Invest in Transmission Line Infrastructure and Smart Grid Technology
- Incentivize Clean and Renewable Energy Sources
- Streamline the Approval Process for Pipeline Infrastructure
- Increase the Deployment of Combined Heat and Power and Waste Heat to Power
- Promote Development of Energy Storage Technologies
Refine Federal Tax Policy
High tax rates and a complex tax code hampers our nation’s competitive standing andhinders our economic growth. The time and money NECA contractors spend to comply with our existing and complex tax code could be—and should be—spent on growing their businesses and creating jobs.
- Restore Tax Rate Parity for All Businesses
- Eliminate the Double Tax on Corporate Income
- Maximize the Value and Integrity of the New Deduction for Pass-Through Businesses
- Restore the Ability of Employers to Fully Deduct their State and Local Income Taxes, Just Like C Corporations
- Make the Pass-Through Deduction Permanent to Ensure Certainty and Predictability
- Repeal the Estate Tax
- Repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax
- Make Remaining Tax Extenders Permanent
Repair and Reform the Affordable Care Act
Through the Taft-Hartley multiemployer plan system, NECA provides excellent health care benefits to electrical workers because they recognize the value of investing in their workforce and that providing excellent health care benefits is a sound investment and good for business. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) may have been a first step towards reforming our complex and costly system, but there are numerous provisions of the ACA that have caused unnecessary disruption for NECA contractors. Meaningful healthcare reform should reduce health care costs, increase choices and access, and improve quality and efficiency.
- Repeal the 40 Percent Excise Tax on “Cadillac” Plans
- The Tax is Creating a Chilling Effect on Employers
- Oppose Any “Cap” On Tax Exclusions for Employer-Funded Health Care Programs
- A strong Bipartisan Majority in Congress Supports Repealing the Cadillac Tax
Protect America’s Workforce
NECA contractors know that their employees are a key to their success. That is why our electrical contractors invest in the nation’s most comprehensive training and apprenticeship programs, compensate our skilled workforce accordingly, and provide quality health care and retirement benefits. The result is the most-skilled and most- productive electricians in the nation.
- Authorize Innovative Composite Plans to Reform the Multiemployer Pension System
- Allow Apprentices to Utilize 529 Education Savings Plans to Finance Ancillary Apprenticeship Costs
- Encourage Career Development in the Electrical Construction Industry Through Existing
- Private Sector Apprenticeship Training Programs
- Oppose Efforts to Repeal, Suspend or Modify the Davis-Bacon Act
- Oppose Limitations on the Use of Project Labor Agreements
- Prevent the Misclassification of Employees as Independent Contractors
Contracting Reform
Small businesses are the foundation of our economy. In fact, the typical electrical contracting firm size is classified as a small business, with 80 percent having less than ten employees. NECA supports legislation that would help increase opportunities for small businesses, prevent government waste and fraud, and provide a framework for growth in the construction industry by promoting efficient federal government procurement through simple, no-cost solutions.
- Establish a Statute of Repose for Federal Construction Projects
- Reform the Administration of Change Orders
- Support Bid Listing to Ensure Transparency in Federal Construction
- Prohibit Utilization of Reverse Auctions for the Procurement of Construction Contracts
- Ensure Payment Protections for Construction Subcontractors and Suppliers Performing under Public-Private Partnerships on Federal Construction
- Eliminate future indexing of Federal Miller Act
- Improve the Design-Build Construction Process