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Government Affairs News

Week in Review

Dec 18, 2023

President Signs FY24 NDAA
On December 14, 2023, the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law by the President after passing the House in a 310-118 vote, and the Senate in a 87-1 vote. NECA was able to achieve significant wins for the electrical contracting industry, including:

  • Authorizes increased funding for the use of hydrogen as a fuel source.
  • Supports the use of multiyear contracting authority as a tool to improve industrial base stability.
  • Improves the timeliness of payments made to small business subcontractors from 90 days to 30 days.
  • Fully funds military construction projects.
  • Authorizes $24 billion for the activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
  • Authorizes $7 billion for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) defense environmental cleanup activities.
  • Authorizes $1.1 billion for DOE’s other defense activities.
  • Authorizes $160 million for DOE’s nuclear energy activities.
  • Improved base access to military installations.
  • Increased awareness for separating service members to pursue a career in the trades.

In addition, NECA was able to successfully include avenues of relief to contractors due to inflationary cost escalation. Included amongst these provisions:

  • Extending a temporary, pandemic-era program (50 U.S.C § 1431) for inflation relief for certain defense contractors by allowing the DOD Secretary to issue guidance which will allow agencies to provide relief, if funding is provided; and
  • Increased authority to include economic price adjustment in contracts and options for fixed-price contracts. Fixed-price contracts are uniquely restrictive in allowing for economic price adjustments due to contingencies often beyond a contractor's control.

NECA's Take: NECA applauds Congress and the President in working in a bipartisan manner to pass the FY24 NDAA. NECA was able to work with Members of Congress to advance key contracting reform provisions and ensure robust investments in our national defense energy systems.

 

2023 Regulatory Agenda Recap; 2024 Agenda Preview
The Biden Administration released its Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda, which laid out the regulations federal departments had planned to complete in the final year of President Biden’s first term. A few key rule makings in the Labor Department’s Regulatory Agenda indicate that the Wage and Hour Division’s (WHD) final rule on independent contractor status and the Employment and Training Administration’s proposed rule on apprenticeship are past due.

In addition, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's (FinCEN) Regulatory Agenda says that the agency’s final rule on “Beneficial Ownership Access and Safeguards” will be issued this month. Finally, the Regulatory Agenda for the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council indicates that the agency will issue its final project labor agreement rule this month as well.

The Regulatory Agenda also includes an Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed rule on infectious disease to be released in June 2024.

NECA's Take: We continue to monitor the federal regulatory system and meet with agency officials to ensure the voice of NECA is known in the rule making process. NECA has had over 100 meetings and submitted over 20 regulatory comments this year with the respective agencies.

 

$890 Million in Carbon Capture Technologies Funding Announced
Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) announced up to $890 million in funding for three projects to demonstrate technologies designed to capture, transport, and store carbon emissions. The Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects Program aims to advance integrated carbon capture, transport, and storage technologies and infrastructure that can be deployed at power plants and in hard-to-decarbonize heavy industries.

NECA's Take: NECA applauds the release of the funds from the Department of Energy. These funds are a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). You can view all the available information on NECA’s IIJA Resource Page.

 

Chairman's Challenge: Northern California Chapter Meets with Rep. Garamendi

NECA Chairman's Challenge: Northern California Chapter Meets with Rep. Garamendi


On December 8, 2023, members of the Northern California Chapter met with Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA). Pictured are Jennifer Fothergill of the Northern California Chapter, Congressman Garamendi, and Sarah Orgill of the Northern California Chapter.

 

NECAPAC Update
Special thanks to Stephen Gardner of Oberlander Electric, Vanessa Tutos of Quanta Services, Larry Beltramo of LLB Consulting, Jody Shea of Quanta Services, Lindsay Mills of John Mills Electric, Jason Owen of Brooks-Berry-Haynie, Skip Perley of Thompson Electric, and Dennis Quebe of Chapel Electric Co LLC for renewing their PLC memberships!

Congratulations to Southern Sierras, Michigan, Northwest Line, North Central Ohio, Kansas, Rocky Mountain, Western Ohio, Central Indiana, Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, and Santa Clara Valley Chapters on reaching their 2023 NECAPAC Goals!

NECAPAC Total 12/18/23 - $767,380
Operational Fund Total 12/18/23 - $383,554

NECAPAC's end-of-year sweepstakes ends this Wednesday, December 20th. Donate to NECAPAC today to be automatically entered to win!

NECA On the Move
Over the past three weeks, NECA’s Government Affairs team met with Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV), Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO), Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), and Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO).