Masonry Magazine July 2007 Page. 21
2007 MASONRY INDUSTRY SLATIVE EFERENCE
BY CORY SEKINE-PETTITE
The 2007 Masonry Industry Legislative Conference featured an enthusiastic crowd of small business owners and association representatives, all of whom gathered in Washington, D.C., for one purpose - to bring a collective voice for the masonry Industry to the decision-makers' doorsteps. Scheduled from May 14-16, this year's conference was sponsored by the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA), the Building Stone Institute, the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute and the National Concrete Masonry Association. Attendees were afforded the opportunity to meet first hand with congressional leaders to discuss regulatory and legislative matters.
The united industry group conducted Capitol Hill visits and hosted personal meetings with more than 50 lawmakers or their staff, as well as other policy advisors and Washington insiders. The issues on the agenda included the 3-percent government withholding tax, national energy policy, fire safety in construction, estate tax reform and comprehensive immigration reform.
Of course, immigration has taken center stage as the national political issue this year. Congress is debating new proposals to not only curb illegal immigration, but to determine the fate of those undocumented workers who contribute greatly to the U.S. economy, as well as how best to involve the business community in cleaning up or policing our immigrant labor force. All of the conference's scheduled speakers addressed this hot topic, and it was a major talking point among attendees.
Speakers
Throughout the three-day conference, attendees were visited by a rather impressive group of policymakers and delegates from several federal agencies, which demonstrated to the group that issues important to the masonry industry are important to the federal government.
Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez
U.S. SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
Gutierrez is one of President Bush's point men working with Congress to pass comprehensive immigration legislation, an issue the secretary sees as
Sen. Susan Collins addresses questions at the Senate briefing. Throughout the three-day conference, attendees were visited by a rather impressive group of policymakers and delegates from several federal agencies, which demonstrated to the group that issues important to the masonry industry are important to the federal government.