In order to protect those working in the mechanical insulation industry, the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT) works to impact the industry through a political presence.
As legislation is proposed, introduced or made law, the Mechanical Insulators LMCT will provide updates on how different pieces of legislation affect our industry.
If you find federal legislative information pertinent to the mechanical insulation industry, please contact the LMCT to have it discussed here.
GREEN Act of 2021 (H.R. 848),
This legislation will provide incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency, including tax incentives to promote mechanical insulation work (Section 502).
President Biden's Fiscal Year 2022 Budget (Page 52)
President Biden's proposed federal budget includes additional details regarding his American Jobs Plan proposal (Page 52) that includes tax incentives to promote mechanical insulation work.
American Jobs Plan
The American Jobs Plan is an investment in America that will create millions of good jobs, rebuild our country’s infrastructure and position the U.S. to out-compete China.
Clean Energy for America Act (S..1298)
The bill would consolidate existing clean energy tax incentives and includes building trades labor standards to require Prevailing Wages and the use of registered apprentices.
CLEAN Future Act (H.R. 1512)
This legislation would update building codes to promote energy efficiency. It provides energy efficiency incentives for commercial facilities, educational buildings, non-profit organizations. .
Open Back Better Act (H.R. 1485 and S. 531)
This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide grants to state agencies and tribal organizations to implement building projects that increase resiliency, energy efficiency, renewable energy and grid integration. It also provides grants for projects that may have combined heat and power and energy storage as project components.
Rebuild America's Schools Act (H.R. 604 and S. 96)
The proposed legislation will provide federal funds for long-term improvements, including energy efficiency upgrades to public school facilities.
Energy Efficiency for Public Buildings Act (H.R. 1993)
This bill would establish a $4 billion dollar grant program through the Department of Energy to aid public buildings in upgrading and retrofitting fixtures to reduce energy consumption.
Energy Efficient Qualified Improvement Property-E-QUIP Act (H.R. 2346)
This energy and tax policy legislation provides tax incentives for the placement of energy efficiency technologies.
EPA Asbestos Risk Evaluation
The Biden Administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will continue work to implement the updated 2016 Toxic Substance Control Act.
Mesothelioma Patient Registry bill (H.R. 1824 in previous Congress)
Once this bill is reintroduced, it will propose the creation a federal mesothelioma patient registry.
Ban Asbestos Now Act (H.R. 1603 in previous Congress)
Upon introduction, this legislation will include an asbestos legacy section to require the EPA to prepare a report on the number of U.S. buildings where asbestos is still present.
NABTU Building Trades Legislative Work
In addition to our federal advocacy work to promote the legislative priorities of both our Insulators Union and our affiliated contractors, we are also active to promote the legislative priorities that benefit all NABTU building trades affiliate unions.
Union Construction Labor Standards
We work to ensure federal construction funding and programs contain Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage coverage. One of the policy challenges that we have encountered is to include labor standards into the federal tax law, so all government funding, either direct federal grant programs or tax incentives, contain labor standards.
Labor Standards and Clean Energy
The LMCT worked with NABTU affiliates in support of a U.S. House letter to encourage the support of buildings trades labor standards in future clean energy tax credits legislation.
National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 (H.R. 447)
On Feb. 5, the U.S. House approved H.R.447 to update the federal apprenticeship labor laws and included a provision to ban the use of federal funds for Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs). Legislation is awaiting consideration in the U.S. Senate.
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses. Over $80 billion in multiemployer pension assistance was included in the American Rescue Plan, which President Biden signed into law on March 11. . The American Rescue Plan law also contains 100 percent federal subsidies for the federal COBRA program to pay for health insurance premiums for displaced Insulators members.
Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R. 842, S. 420)
On March 9, the U.S. House approved H.R. 842, which expands various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace. Currently, this bill is awaiting consideration in the U.S. Senate.
White House Task Force on Organizing and Empowerment
The Mechanical Insulators LMCT is participating in the Biden Administration's initiative to implement President Biden's Executive Order to make recommendations on worker organizing and empowerment.
