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Government Affairs News

Week in Review

May 12, 2023

Biden to Veto Solar Tariff Pause
Last week, the Senate passed a resolution that reverses President Biden’s 24-month pause on import tariffs for solar cells and modules. The resolution is expected to be vetoed by the President. The House is likely to try and overturn the veto.

NECA sent a letter to the White House to urge the President to veto this legislation. NECA fully supports American-made products but understands that this transition can only be successful if it occurs over a period of time. We will continue to educate legislators on the need for a measured transition away from foreign-produced components to American-made.

 

Administration Releases Permitting Plan
On May 10, 2023, the Biden Administration released their plan for permitting reform. Permitting reform has been an evolving topic since the House passed H.R. 1 in March and has remained a component of the debt ceiling package negotiations. NECA supports inclusion of the following provisions proposed in this permitting reform package:

  • Accelerate Deployment of Critical Electric Transmission
  • Reforming mining laws to domestic source more critical minerals
  • Streamlining agency review of programmatic reviews
  • Digitizing the permitting review process to speed up the timeline.
  • Shortening hydroelectric permitting
  • Redirecting FERC’s authority on transmission
  • Encouraging State and Local governments to reform their permitting process and better align with federal permitting.

To read more of the actions the Biden Administration is proposing read here.

NECA's Take: NECA has been advocating for permitting reform as a top priority issue for the 118th Congress. This year’s Legislative Conference was an opportunity to amplify our efforts and as a result H.R. 1 was passed. We will continue to work with the Senate and Administration on how this final bill takes shape. If you have not already, be sure to take action and tell your Senators to pass a final permitting reform package.

 

Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships Final Meeting
This week, the Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships (ACA) held its final meeting to approve of a 2-year long list of recommendations to help improve the Registered Apprenticeship system. NECA CEO, David Long, was appointed to this committee by former Secretary Walsh in August of 2021.

NECA's Take: NECA supports the advisory committee’s recommendations to the Department of Labor and Congress to help bring about a 21st century apprenticeship system. The Department has announced that it would reauthorize the committee for the next two years and NECA will be reapplying to be a part of it again.

 

NECAPAC Update

NECAPAC Total 5/12/23 - $266,769
Operational Fund Total 5/12/23 - $126,595

NECA On the Move
NECA Government Affairs met with Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Congressman Peter Aguilar (D-CA), Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), and  Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (D-IL).