The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items.

Government Affairs News

Week in Review

May 19, 2023

House to Attempt to Override President’s Veto of Solar Resolution
On May 16, 2023, the President vetoed legislation that would have reversed his 24-month pause on import tariffs for solar cells and modules. The House has pledged to vote to overturn the President’s veto. To override this veto, a two-thirds majority is required. Since this resolution originally passed on party lines, overriding this veto does not appear likely.

NECA's Take: NECA contractors need certainty when purchasing solar panels and a bridge to domestic manufacturing. NECA supports the preference to produce, manufacture, and source solar panels domestically and is working to expand the solar manufacturing in the United States. However, until domestic manufacturing of solar panels can meet the current demand across the country, we need to have the ability to purchase solar panels where they are readily available. When the House schedules a vote to override the President’s veto we will be asking NECA members to take action and urge their Representatives to allow the solar tariff pause to remain in place.

 

Section 199A Legislation Introduced
On May 18, 2023, Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced the Main Street Tax Certainty Act of 2023. This legislation aims to make the 20 percent deduction for certain qualified business income received from pass-through entities such as partnerships or businesses operating under a Subchapter S election (Section 199A) permanent. Under current law, the 20 percent tax deduction will sunset at the end of 2025.

NECA's Take: NECA signed a letter, along with other members of the S-Corp Association, in support of this legislation. We have been monitoring this issue closely since the 2023 NECA Legislative Conference in March. Many provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, including the Section 199A deduction, are set to expire soon. NECA contractors that rely on this deduction to remain competitive need certainty when planning the future of their businesses.

 

$51 Million in America’s Electric Vehicle Charging Network
The Administration announced a $51 million Ride and Drive Electric funding opportunity for installing EV charging stations. The Ride and Drive Electric funding opportunity will advance this mission by:

  • Enhancing EV charging resilience
  • Providing equitable access and opportunity in electrification through community-driven models for EV charging deployment and workforce development
  • Improving EV charging performance and reliability

The administration also announced the launch of the National Charging Experience Consortium to advance rapid, on-the-ground solutions that ensure a convenient, reliable, equitable, and easy-to-use charging experience for all Americans with chargers that are made in America.

NECA's Take: NECA supports the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation issuing this $51 million funding opportunity. NECA supported the $7.5 billion NEVI program as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will use EVITP certification as part of the requirements to build the charging stations.

 

NECAPAC Update

NECAPAC Total 5/19/23 - $272,639
Operational Fund Total 5/19/23 - $131,595

NECA On the Move
Over the weekend, Jared Karbowsky travelled to the National Republican Senatorial Committee conference and met with Senator Lummis (R-SD), Senator Daines (R-MT), Senator Budd (R-NC), Senator Britt (R-AL), Senator Sullivan(R-AK), Senator Thune (R-SD), and Senator Tillis (R-NC).

Marco Giamberardino attended the House Majority Annual Dinner with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

This week, the NECA Government Affairs team met with Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Congressman Garamendi (D-CA), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT), Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).