Inside Washington

👋 Welcome to September’s edition of Inside Washington!

This edition of Inside Washington recaps NECA 2025 Chicago successes, celebrates our NECAPAC supporters, and provides the latest on key legislative and regulatory developments in Washington, D.C.

Let's dive in!

NECA 2025 Chicago Recap

The Government Affairs team enjoyed our time with everyone in Chicago!

Driving the news: During the Convention, the team presented on the latest happenings in Washington, detailing impacts on companies, employees, and families.

The Team also hosted a detailed discussion with lawyers from Klasko Immigration Law Partners on I-9 Compliance and How to Protect Your Business.

What's next: If you have follow-up questions from your discussions with us throughout the weekend or would like to host a similar Washington, D.C. update at your chapter, please reach out to a member of the team.

Congratulations to the NECAPAC Sweepstakes winners!

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for the NECAPAC Reception prior to the Opening Reception at the Griffin Museum. We understand some invitations were not received and are committed to finding a solution for future events.

We’d also like to thank our Contractors for their generous support during the 2025 Convention and helping us raise a total of $128,310 for NECAPAC and the Operational Fund.

We’re especially grateful to the PLC Members who renewed their contributions during Convention:

Chairman's Challenge: Engage and earn

Recently hosted: The Arizona Chapter hosted Rep. Ansari at their newly remodeled Western Campus of their JATC, with staff from Reps. Stanton and Biggs also in attendance. Leadership highlighted critical training programs for NECA-IBEW apprentices to meet the region's growing construction and energy demands.

The challenge: To boost member involvement in NECA Government Affairs, members are encouraged to participate in activities to earn points for their chapter:

Congressional visits: 5 Points/visit for visits at a member's company, jobsite, or NECA Chapter office.
Action Alerts: Respond to a NECA Action Alert by writing a letter to a Member of Congress — 1 Point/letter.
Legislative Conference: Attend the NECA Legislative Conference in Washington, DC — 3 Points/attendee.

📸 Capture the moment: For Congressional visits, take a picture with the Member of Congress and send it to necagovtaffairs@necanet.org.

🏆 Win the Chairman's Challenge: The chapter with the most points by December 31, 2025, wins the challenge!

Government shutdown looms: Key updates

Funding deadline approaches: The federal government faces a shutdown as funding is set to expire at midnight on September 30th.

Continuing Resolution (CR): A temporary fix by Congress to keep the government funded while negotiating full year funding bills. The House passed a CR extending funding through Nov. 21 at FY25 levels, but Senate Democrats oppose it due to the exclusion of ACA subsidies.
Political tensions: Senate Democrats and President Trump are negotiating to avoid a shutdown, but with both chambers on recess, the odds are increasing. The Trump Administration views this as a "base management" exercise, expecting Minority Leader Schumer to "take a stand."
Impact on services: Federal employees may face furloughs and delayed paychecks, while essential services like mail delivery and border protection continue.
- Why it matters: Large-scale construction projects might come to a halt if a shutdown extends for multiple weeks. Certain maintenance contracts, particularly related to the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security may continue.
Contact for concerns: If you're involved in federal contracting work and are concerned about payment disruptions, please reach out to the Government Affairs team for guidance.

Permitting reform progress: Key bills advance

Three key permitting reform bills — H.R. 4776 (SPEED Act), H.R. 3898, and H.R. 3062 (Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act) — have taken significant steps forward in the House this month.

These measures aim to streamline project approvals, provide greater regulatory clarity, and strengthen U.S. energy and infrastructure development.

SPEED Act (H.R. 4776): The SPEED Act seeks to shorten permitting timelines, curb frivolous litigation, and simplify NEPA review requirements.

It would also set clear judicial review limits, establishing a 150-day deadline for claims.
H.R. 4776 is before the House Natural Resources Committee and is expected to move toward a House vote soon.

PERMIT Act (H.R. 3898): Aims to provide regulatory clarity under the Clean Water Act, particularly for large-scale construction projects.

It narrows the definition of “navigable waters,” helping streamline compliance for projects facing high environmental standards.
H.R. 3898 recently advanced out of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.

Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act (H.R. 3062): This bill passed the House and aims to streamline approval for cross-border energy projects by replacing the Presidential Permit process with a transparent framework.

This change seeks to reduce delays and strengthen North American energy integration.

The bottom line: The Government Affairs team has worked closely with Chairman Westerman, Rep. Collins, and Rep. Fedorchak on these bills, and we are encouraged to see them gaining momentum. Rest assured, our team will continue to actively monitor permitting reform negotiations to ensure that any final legislation reflects the priorities and needs of NECA contractors.

VET Act: Empowering veterans in electrical careers

NECA hosts Capitol Hill briefing: On September 22, NECA led a discussion with key industry players including NEMA, NAED, Schneider Electric, and Sonepar to emphasize the importance of hiring veterans to address the electrical workforce gap.

Lt. Gen. Bailey's insights: NECA’s Lt. Gen. Bailey highlighted NECA’s initiatives in creating career pathways for transitioning service members and the need for skilled electricians.

VET Act, H.R.4105: This legislation proposes a Department of Labor grant to support employers in energy and advanced manufacturing who hire eligible veterans, offering up to $10,000 per hire and $500,000 per employer annually.

Priority support: Focuses on assisting involuntarily separated service members, retirees, and veterans with disabilities or homelessness.