Policy Shifts That Matter: TRIA’s September Report from Washington, D.C.

Tile Roofing Industry Alliance Lobbyist, Craig Brightup, has provided the latest government relations update and activities on the following from September 2025:


Government Shutdown
On Sept. 18, House Republicans passed a “clean” continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded from Sept. 30 – Nov. 21 in order to finish the 12 appropriations bills for FY26.  On Sept. 19, the CR failed to get the 60 votes needed in the Senate and a competing Democrat bill with an estimated $1.5 trillion more spending also failed.  Thus, there will be a federal government shutdown at midnight on Sept. 30 (the end of FY25) until Senate Democrats come around to voting for the CR.  
 
Senate Confirms Trump Nominees
Senate Republicans changed the confirmation rules for noncontroversial presidential subcabinet picks to stop Democrat obstruction.  The Senate then confirmed a bundle of 48 Trump nominees on Sept. 18, and Majority Leader Thune filed another package on Sept. 19 with over 100 nominees to be cleared during by the first week in October.  This package is particularly relevant for TRIA as it includes Dave Keeling for OSHA, Jonathan Berry for Solicitor of Labor, and Andrew Rogers for Wage and Hour Administrator.
 
Workforce Development
On Sept. 22, NRCA VP for Government Relations Duane Musser and I met with majority staff on the House Education & Workforce Committee to discuss when reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) might start moving in this Congress. 
 
New H-2C Temporary Visa Program Introduced
On Sept. 23, Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) introduced the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act to create a new H-2C guestworker visa that could be heavily utilized by construction.  The annual visa cap could hit 85,000 and visas would be valid for three years and eligible for renewal twice for a total of nine years.  Ten House Republicans and Democrats joined Smucker in cosponsoring the bill.           
 
Warehouse Worker Protection Act
TRIA and NRCA joined 43 other business organizations on the attached coalition letter opposing the Warehouse Worker Protection Act which, among other objectionable provisions, would jumpstart the congressionally repealed OSHA ergonomics standard.


​For more information on the TRIA Alliance and our Government Relations efforts, please visit our website at www.tileroofing.org.