Lawmakers were in the throes of budget reconciliation debate last month when members of AHFA’s Board of Directors convened in Washington, D.C., for the annual spring government affairs meeting.
The May 13-14 meeting included a Washington update from Chris Andreson of Dutko Government Relations and a regulatory update presented by AHFA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Bill Perdue and Manager of Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs Alex Williams.
Guest speaker Douglas Dziak, the newest commissioner on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, provided a brief update on the status of the agency, which was reduced to just two commissioners when President Trump removed all three Democrats from its leadership on May 8.
The firings came amid concerns about potential budget cuts and reorganization of the agency. However, Dziak assured AHFA Board Members that compliance with product safety standards and enforcement of those standards would remain the agency’s top priority. When asked about recent cuts to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) that will impact CPSC’s ability to collect data on certain types of accidents and injuries, Dziak assured the group that the agency’s new executive director, Brien Lorenze, who was appointed in March, would be a “data-driven director.” Dziak also emphasized the importance of the CPSC’s new e-filing system for imports and said its implementation would not likely be delayed.
President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” was the focus of attention on May 14 when AHFA’s board members convened in the Senate Visitors Center on Capitol Hill, along with members of the Home Furnishings Association’s Government Relations Action Team. The group heard from Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), along with Annie Brody, director of business coalitions for House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN).
Finally, for a perspective on how Trump policies are impacting the housing market, industry executives heard from Fan-Yu Kuo, senior economist for the National Association of Home Builders. Positive impacts include an extension of most or all of the 2017 tax cuts, a reduction in some regulatory policies, and a pro-growth environment from a macroeconomic view. At the same time, negative factors include a larger government deficit, narrow and general tariffs and the inflationary impact of these factors.
Photos from the meeting can be viewed on AHFA's Facebook page.