More than 65 NBFAA members, including association board members and state leaders from across the United States, joined the government relations team during the two-day event. Along with a full day of congressional visits, participants enjoyed a dinner cruise sponsored by GE Security, a breakfast briefing sponsored by Altronix, lunch sponsored by Security America Risk Retention Group, and a reception sponsored by Honeywell. GE Security also provided a hospitality and de-briefing room where participants could gather at the end of the day to talk about their experiences.

One of the highlights of the two-day event was the presentation of the NBFAA 2009 Legislator of the Year award to Rep. Michael Arcuri, (D-NY). Rep. Arcuri is the sponsor of H.R. 1680, the Long-Term Care Life Safety Act of 2009, which authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to promote professional retrofit installation of fire alarm detection systems and other fire detection and prevention technologies in nursing homes, assisted-living residences and other appropriate facilities. This presentation took place at the NBFAA luncheon on April 29.
Participants asked congressional leaders to support the Long-Term Care Life Safety Act of 2009. Other important issues discussed with legislators during the two-day event were:

• Support of H.R. 1939, the Electronic Life Safety and Security Systems Federal Background Check Act co-sponsored by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) which directs the Attorney General to permit the electronic life safety, security and systems profession to access the FBI database and to provide employers with relevant criminal history record information; and

• Opposition to H.R. 1409, the Employee Free Choice Act of 2009, sponsored by Rep. George Miller (D-CA) which would remove American workers’ right to a private election and replace it with the “card check” process making workers’ votes public to the employer, union organizers and co-workers. The passage of this bill would give organized labor an unfair advantage in union organizing at the expense of both employees and employers. Under this “card check” process, workers’ votes are made public to the employer, union organizers and co-workers.

As a result of these efforts, NBFAA’s government relations priorities are now beginning to move through the legislative process as bills. Some of the immediate positive outcomes resulting from Day on Capitol Hill are:

• NBFAA is working closely with Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) of the House Crime Subcommittee to accumulate information needed by the chairman and staff to hold a hearing and to move H.R. 1939 through the committee. The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), has begun to work closely with the NBFAA lobbyist on securing co-sponsors and interacting with the ranking Republican member, Rep. Louie Goehmert (R-TX).

• NBFAA is working closely with ranking member, Nathan Deal (R-GA), and members of the House Health Subcommittee to accumulate information needed by their staffs to hold a hearing and to move H.R. 1680 through the committee. The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY), has begun to work closely with the NBFAA lobbyist on securing cosponsors and interacting with committee staff.

• Co-sponsors, which are necessary for bill support, have already begun to be added as a result of these meetings. Within the last week, Reps. Erik Paulson (R-MN), Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Heath Schuler (D-NC), Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), and Roy Blunt (R-MO) have been added as cosponsors to NBFAA- supported bills.

• There are more than 10 Senate offices actively considering House bills H.R. 1939 and H.R. 1680. State chapters are following up with the Senate offices through letters and meetings.

• Based on feedback received during Day on Capitol Hill, Jade West, coordinator for the Coalition for the Democratic Workplace, is revising the Employee Free Choice Act position paper.

• Because of suppliers who attended Day on Capitol Hill, we are broadening our network to include GE, Honeywell and Tyco/ADT lobbying contacts and government relations professionals in Washington, D.C.

• NBFAA has developed a priority list to make the 2010 Day on Capitol Hill even more widely attended and effective.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2009 Day on Capitol Hill event and represented NBFAA to our congressional leaders. You are the industry leaders who truly make a difference.

Click here to download photos of the event.