July has been quite a busy month on Capitol Hill. Legislators held a number of hearings and markups, and the House was able to pass funding legislation before they returned to their home districts for the August recess. Government funding will run out on September 30th, in 65 days. Congress is strictly focused on passing all 12 required appropriation bills, minding spending caps, and trying to avoid triggering provisions from the debt ceiling agreement. So far the House has only been able to pass two of the required 12, while the Senate has passed none.  The two chambers are far apart from their spending levels and will need to informally negotiate over the August recess in hopes to pass appropriations by year's end. NECA’s Government Affairs team has been hard at work, evaluating over 2,000 amendments in pivotal funding legislation to ensure inclusion of contractor-friendly language.

 

Congress will be home for the summer district work period from July 31st – September 8th. This is a great time to meet with your Member of Congress at home and discuss the issues impacting the electrical construction industry. Please feel free to use these resources when meeting with your legislators in the district!

After being voted out of committee at the end of June, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the House, largely on party lines, on July 14, 2023. The House bill authorizes $874.2 billion in spending for FY24, ensuring the economic stability of our national defense. The House has taken the fiscally conservative approach approving $39 billion under the spending cap. The Senate, however, plans to take the alternate approach, coming in above the required spending limit with the addition of ‘emergency supplemental funds’. The Senate has been debating amendments on the floor for the last two weeks of July and hopes to pass their version out of the Senate before the August recess. When the Senate does pass its version of the NDAA, House and Senate Armed Services leaders will eventually have to reconcile their differing legislation into a final version both chambers can pass and the President will sign. NECA secured contractor-friendly provisions in the House version of the NDAA and has turned its focus to working with Senators to ensure inclusion of similar provisions. We will be closely monitoring as the NDAA moves through the legislative process to ensure NECA contractors benefit from its final passage.

On July 20, 2023, the House passed H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act. This legislation authorizes over $103 billion to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over the next five years with the goal of addressing many different aspects of the administration. The Senate bill rings in at $107 billion over the next five years. The Senate Commerce Committee has yet to hold its markup of the Senate FAA bill. Pilot training rules has caused the stall in the Senate. Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) hopes to have the bill marked up before Senators head back to their home district on July 31st. The differences in the House and Senate versions will trigger a bicameral reconciliation once the Senate version passes. NECA will continue to closely monitor the funding levels that contribute to contractor job opportunities, communicating contractor-friendly provisions upon final passage.

Take action today, tell your Representatives about the issues impacting the industry!

PLC Renewals

Jesse Hale, Alcan Electric & Engineering Inc.

Elliott Marlow, Endeavor Electric

Zachary Flurer, Skeels Electric

John Frantz, Sidney Electric Company

Waylon Knudsen, VanGo Enterprises

Brian Spader, Thompson Solutions Group