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NAHB Members to Carry Concerns to Lawmakers on May 10
Builders seeking the rare opportunity to walk the halls of Congress with their colleagues and to meet with their lawmakers to discuss issues of concern for the housing industry won't want to miss the association's most important grassroots activity of the year — the NAHB Legislative Conference on May 10, a day-long event coinciding with the spring board meeting.
“For any builder who is concerned about their bottom line, attending the Legislative Conference could be the best decision that they make this year,” said NAHB President David Pressly, who has set a goal of expanding builder participation by at least 10% this year. “This is your chance to speak directly to your federal representatives on Capitol Hill, and communicate the challenges that you and your business face every day. Don't miss this once-a-year opportunity to really make a difference.”
Decisions that affect a builder’s business are being made every day in the halls of Congress. Environmental regulations, tax policy, soaring health care costs and many other issues can add thousands of dollars to a firm’s annual operating budget, and Congress weighs in on each and every one of them.
Bridgette Evans, EO of the Missoula BIA in Montana, recalls that her participation in last year’s Legislative Conference was an invaluable experience. “Of the meetings I attended while in Washington, the visit to Capitol Hill was the most beneficial,” says Evans. “It is good to see that we really do make a difference when we meet with members of Congress and their staffs. With this knowledge, I was able to go back to my board and the membership and feel confident when recruiting people to donate time to work on an issue."
Sharon Larson, EO of Brookings Regional BA in South Dakota, voices similar sentiments. "A person can receive all of the e-mails and legislative alerts that come from NAHB, but not really 'get it' until they have heard first-hand how builders and home owners are affected on a daily basis,” she says. “Hopefully, we were able to make a difference that day, but in addition to that, I think having the ability to reference that meeting in my correspondence has been very useful."
The NAHB Legislative Conference provides a unique opportunity for builders to speak directly with their members of Congress and to take a stand on the issues that affect their businesses and bottom line.
Attending the 2006 Legislative Conference offers an unparalleled opportunity to:
- Lobby members of Congress to protect your business
- Establish lasting relationships with your elected federal officials
- Share builder concerns in a national forum in Washington, D.C.
- Learn the latest policy developments on the key issues affecting your business
- Demonstrate your industry’s commitment to responsible policies, pragmatic reforms, effective programs and providing the resources necessary to meet our nation’s ongoing housing needs
- Network and share business strategies with your peers
- Learn how to be an effective advocate for your business and your industry
- Make your views known on Capitol Hill
- Do your part to ensure that NAHB’s issues are heard by Washington policymakers
- Galvanize a united front on Capitol Hill
Your participation can make a difference. In these challenging times — when other interest groups are clamoring to push their agenda in Washington — a strong builder turn out on May 10 will send a powerful message to members of Congress: Housing must remain a national priority!
Come to Washington and show your members of Congress the great work you do back home in building your communities. Urge your lawmakers to adopt sensible policies to enable your business to thrive and allow the nation’s home builders to fulfill their mission of providing safe, decent, affordable housing to all Americans.
For more information and to register for NAHB’s 2006 Legislative Conference, click here; or e-mail Jessica Boyce, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8334.
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