Capitol Hill

Five months ago, under direction of NRCA's Government Relations Committee, NRCA's Washington, D.C., staff set out to build a grassroots tool that would be efficient and effective. And in January, NRCA launched the NRCA Grassroots Advocacy Network, roofingadvocacy.nrca.net.

Why advocate?

When discussing NRCA's priorities on Capitol Hill, NRCA staff members are told congressmen and congresswomen want to hear directly from their constituents. The NRCA Grassroots Advocacy Network makes it possible for you to easily engage your elected officials. The new website is a great addition to NRCA's already strong repertoire of tools, including the support of candidates through ROOFPAC, participation in coalitions, traditional advocacy on Capitol Hill and outreach to federal agencies. This grassroots component of our strategic vision will make NRCA's presence stronger with your participation.

NRCA will assist members with building relationships and communicating with their elected officials. The easiest way you can get involved and make a difference is by using the tools available through the NRCA Grassroots Advocacy Network.

Take action

The website makes it easy for you to send emails to your members of Congress from your computer or mobile device quickly and easily. When you receive an action alert from NRCA, take one minute to send an email to your member of Congress. As NRCA grows its team of roofing advocates, NRCA's voice will become louder and the industry's influence on policymakers will increase.

Become a key contact

Through the website, you can inform NRCA of any relationships you may already have with legislators. Maybe you put the roof on your representative's home or went to school with one of your senators. This information can be used by NRCA's government affairs team to better use NRCA resources. Please take a few minutes to participate in the key contact survey, which can be found on the website.

Share your story

In addition, the website enables you to easily share anecdotal stories about how federal policies help or hurt your company. Everyday stories are important to NRCA as it advocates for you on Capitol Hill; personal stories help members of Congress understand how federal policies affect their constituents.

Congressional meetings

A great time to meet with your members of Congress is when they are home. Depending on whether you are meeting with your representative or one of your senators, meetings can be set up in their district or state offices. NRCA will help you make these appointments and provide you with talking points regarding priority issues that are important to your business.

NRCA's site visit program

You also could invite a member of Congress to your job site or office to add context to your discussion of policy issues. Touring a facility or job site while learning how federal policies affect your business is valuable to elected officials. From my work on campaigns, I can say this is enjoyable and educational for those running for office or already in office.

Spare a few minutes

More information about how to engage with your representative or senators can be found in the "Grassroots Toolkit" section of the NRCA Grassroots Advocacy Network.

NRCA looks forward to working with you as it enacts the next step in its strategic vision to build a more robust grassroots advocacy network. Just a few minutes per week from your schedule will make the collective voice of roofing industry advocates louder in Washington, D.C.

Nathan Pick is NRCA's director of advocacy and political affairs.