This Week in D.C.

On Oct. 5, the IRS formally announced requests for public input regarding the implementation of the clean energy tax incentives enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. The IRS posted six different notices with specific questions about each aspect of the provisions, including:

NRCA plans to submit comments, which are due by Nov. 4. 

Citing the need for a better sick day policy, one of the largest rail unions rejected a contract with freight carriers, raising the possibility of a strike sometime after Nov. 19. This deal was championed by the Biden administration, which helped broker the initial deal between 12 unions and rail carriers and avert a previous walkout threat.  

On Oct. 5, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit released a decision regarding the 2012 Deferred Action for Child Arrivals policy. The ruling partially affirmed the court’s July 2021 decision declaring the 2012 DACA policy unlawful. The court preserved a partial stay from July 2021 and sent the case back to the district court for further proceedings regarding the new Department of Homeland Security DACA regulation released Aug. 30 and scheduled to take effect Oct. 21. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said this ruling will not affect current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization documents. The agency will continue to accept and process DACA renewal requests, accompanying requests for employment authorization and applications for advance parole for current DACA recipients. It also will continue to accept new DACA applications but will hold off on processing these requests. 

NRCA, a member of the Alliance for a New Immigration Consensus—a broad coalition of faith, business, agriculture, education, national security and advocacy organizations—released a statement calling for Congress to urgently act to address this issue.  

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) announced Oct. 6 via Twitter that he plans to retire at the end of this Congress to become president of the University of Florida despite his term not officially expiring until 2026. Sasse stated: “UF is the most important institution in the nation’s most economically dynamic state. Washington partisanship isn’t going to solve these workforce challenges—new institutions and entrepreneurial communities are going to have to spearhead this work.” Gov. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) is expected to appoint a successor to serve until 2024, and a special election will elect another candidate to complete the remainder of Sasse’s term.  

Each year, roofing professionals meet with members of Congress on Capitol Hill to discuss the critical issues facing their companies and the roofing industry. And you know what? We’re making a big difference. So far, we have increased funding for career and technical education, advanced legislation that addresses workforce development needs and secured a strong buildings component in bipartisan infrastructure legislation.

But our work is not done yet. We are just getting started. Join us for Roofing Day in D.C. April 18-19, 2023, and help us make it the biggest and best roofing industry advocacy event ever!