NJ-APAC on Capital Hill

New Jersey Political Action Committee (NJ-APAC)
LOBBIES ON CAPITOL HILL at the
AIA GRASSROOTS 2014 – LEADERSHIP AND LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE

by Laurence E. Parisi, AIA Washington, D.C.
March 19, 2014

Another fabulous AIA Grassroots Leadership Conference has graced us, but not without extraordinary excitement, great colleague camaraderie, and well-organized Leadership Plenary Sessions.

NJ-APAC – The political branch of AIA-NJ was represented at “the hill” by Ben Lee, AIA and I, together we attended the Government Advocacy Networking Breakfast and Congressional Staff Panel who discussed the purpose and the criteria for Capitol Hill Visits. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet your Congressional District representative on their “D.C. turf” and present to them the issues set forth by the Institute and request their support. These issues are established by the Institute to help promote and support architects and building growth in our country. This year we had three requests for our congressional and senatorial backing.

1. ENERGY RETROFITS – The AIA supports efforts to extend and make modest improvements to the Energy-Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction (179D).
2. STUDENT DEBT RELIEF – The AIA supports legislation to allow architecture students to contribute their design abilities to help communities in exchange for student loan assistance.
3. DESIGN BUILD PROCUREMENT REFORM – The AIA supports common-sense reforms to procurement that will help more design firms enter the marketplace.

AIA National hosts this special annual event and provides us with an agenda of “Asks” for us to lobby on an adventurous trip to Capitol Hill. Here we meet with our New Jersey Senators and representatives of the House. This annual event that is attended by some 800 AIA Architects from all the components around the country and around the world. If you are not familiar with this AIA event, I strongly recommend you to take the time and put this on your agenda for next year. If you would like to become an active NJ-APAC member to promote and protect the architectural profession, contact New Jersey APAC at 609-393-5690.

Selfie of Laurence E. Parisi, AIA and Ben Lee, AIA