Capitol Hill

On Nov. 19, 2003, NRCA Executive Vice President Bill Good and Associate Executive Director for Education and Risk Management Tom Shanahan came to Washington, D.C., to join me for an important meeting with Emily Stover DeRocco, the assistant secretary of labor for the Employment and Training Administration (ETA).

The meeting was in response to an inquiry I received from DeRocco's office wanting to learn more about NRCA's education, training and employee recognition programs. The U.S. Department of Labor's ETA seeks to build the labor market through training the work force and placing workers in jobs through employment services.

The meeting's goal was to identify synergies between ETA programs and NRCA initiatives. Good, Shanahan and I provided DeRocco with a comprehensive list of NRCA's education and training programs, including initiatives of the National Roofing Foundation's The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress. DeRocco indicated she would designate staff within her department's Business Relations Group to provide expertise where possible for NRCA's pilot Job Corps program and identify other initiatives for potential ETA support. (To learn about Job Corps, read "Training for skills and success," June 2001 issue, page 38.)

Good invited DeRocco to attend NRCA's 117th Annual Convention and Exhibit in San Diego, Feb. 22-25. She is expected to help present the Roofing Industry's Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, which identify and honor outstanding roofing workers from various U.S. regions. The MVP Awards, sponsored by The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress, will be presented during the Member Breakfast on Feb. 24. DeRocco also has been invited to speak at the breakfast.

CRSP Program

On Nov. 20, 2003, Good and Shanahan led a two-part meeting at DOL offices to examine the issue of fall prevention and discuss creating a Certified Roofing Safety Professional (CRSP) Program. The meeting included representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers; CNA Insurance Cos., Chicago; and NRCA. The roofing equipment manufacturing industry was represented by Amy Reeves, vice president of Reeves Roofing Equipment Co. Inc., Helotes, Texas, during the part of the meeting about fall prevention.

The goal of the meeting about falls was to find voluntary industry practices outside the regulatory process to improve fall protection. The meeting about creating a CRSP Program involved a thorough examination of the concept, focusing on potential audiences beyond foremen and training delivery mechanisms.

In addition, Good and Shanahan met with John Henshaw, the assistant secretary for OSHA, about a CRSP Program and other roofing-related safety issues.

Fund-raisers

During the evening of Nov. 19, 2003, NRCA's federally registered political action committee, ROOFPAC, co-hosted a fund-raising reception with the Associated General Contractors of America for Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-Texas).

In his remarks, Hinojosa announced his support for HR 3310, the Realistic Roofing Tax Treatment Act of 2003.

In addition to the event for Hinojosa, during 2003, ROOFPAC coordinated events for five other candidates: Reps. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Mark Foley (R-Fla.), J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), as well as state Sen. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), who is running in Pennsylvania's open 15th congressional district.

These meetings exemplify the continuous efforts of NRCA in Washington to interact with high-level officials whenever possible. To advance NRCA's agenda on behalf of the roofing industry, the meetings are crucial because they educate decision makers about such issues as work force training and tax depreciation of commercial roof systems.

Craig S. Brightup is NRCA's vice president of government relations.