Record Attendance and Lawmaker Access Underscore ABMA’s Federal Momentum

The American Building Materials Alliance (ABMA) held its third annual Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., on April 7–8, drawing more than 70 attendees and receiving support from over 20 sponsors—both record highs for the event. 

Advocacy Day is a free benefit for members of ABMA’s 17 affiliated associations. ABMA represents the lumber and building materials (LBM) industry across 16 states and Washington, D.C., and this event serves as a key opportunity for members to engage directly with federal lawmakers on critical policy issues. The two-day program began with a policy issue briefing and networking dinner, followed by a full day of meetings on Capitol Hill. 

Coordinated by ABMA’s lobbying team—Jim Thompson and Denise Murphy McGraw—alongside Government Affairs Coordinator Nicolina Benoit, members met with more than 50 congressional offices. Many of those meetings were held directly with legislators, including several influential voices on ABMA’s federal agenda: 

Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, a key player in shaping tax policy; 

Representative Mackenzie, who serves on the House OSHA Safety Subcommittee and is relevant to ABMA’s efforts to modernize crane certification requirements; 

Representative Chris Pappas, a member of the House Transportation Committee, which plays a central role in CDL training reforms; 

Senator Jack Reed, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where the anticipated Credit Card Competition Act is expected to be referred. 

ABMA members brought forward a focused set of federal priorities during the event, including: 

Securing tax policy tools critical to small and mid-sized LBM businesses, such as bonus depreciation and the 199A deduction for S-Corporations; 

Reforming OSHA’s crane certification rule to reflect the real-world use of boom trucks in the building materials industry; 

Supporting industry-specific CDL training options to address workforce shortages and streamline driver certification for local delivery operations; 

Advancing credit card processing reform to reduce swipe fees and increase competition in the payment processing market. 

Leading up to the event, ABMA members conducted outreach in their home districts to establish and strengthen relationships with lawmakers. These efforts are part of ABMA’s broader government affairs strategy, which emphasizes relationship-building, member-driven advocacy, and a coordinated communications effort to achieve meaningful results. 

“Advocacy Day is a great example of how ABMA works,” said Rod Wiles, Chair of ABMA and Vice President of Hammond Lumber Company. “We bring together engaged members of our industry, give them the tools they need, and make sure our priorities are clearly communicated where it counts.”

About ABMA

ABMA advocates on behalf of the lumber and building materials (LBM) industry. ABMA represents LBM dealers and associated businesses in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. We work directly with members of Congress, the White House, and federal agencies to impact the legislative and regulatory process as it affects the LBM industry. ABMA is powered by the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA) and Construction Suppliers Association (CSA).

Contact:

Francis Palasieski – Director of Government Affairs – fpalasieski@abmalliance.org – (518) 880-6376

Source: ABMA