Second session of the 119th Congress convenes; similar policy fights remain
Earlier this week, the second session of the 119th Congress convened with lawmakers in the House and Senate facing two familiar policy fights—health care premium costs and averting another government shutdown by Jan. 30.
The latest action regarding health care will be a House vote today on a three-year extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits after Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called up Democrats’ signature health care bill. A discharge petition with 218 signatures—with all Democrats and four moderate Republicans signing—triggered the vote. House approval is expected, but the legislation faces long odds in the Senate with opposition from conservatives in the upper chamber. However, a bipartisan group of senators is discussing a path forward regarding a compromise bill on the ACA tax credits, and a strong House vote could bolster this effort.
Rising health care costs is a renewed area of focus for NRCA as members continue indicating the cost of employer-sponsored health plans are rising to unsustainable levels and crippling company operating expenses. NRCA will continue working to support sensible reforms to help small-business members obtain access to more affordable options.
On the government funding issue, appropriators in Congress have only a few weeks to approve legislation to fund the government on a long-term basis by the end of the month. So far, lawmakers have made little headway toward passing the nine remaining agency funding bills. Currently, there is disagreement between the House and Senate regarding their next steps, with Senate Republican appropriators wanting to combine five of the spending bills and House Republicans arguing for a different approach. Unfortunately, new tensions between the parties regarding the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela threaten to further complicate talks and force a floor vote on barring defense funds from being used for military action in Venezuela.
NRCA is heavily invested in the federal appropriations process because of its work to increase Perkins career and technical education grant funding, which is critical to meeting the roofing industry’s future workforce demands.
Registration for Roofing Day in D.C. 2026 is open!
Join your friends and colleagues April 14-15 for the largest advocacy event dedicated solely to the roofing industry. Each year during Roofing Day in D.C., roofing professionals meet with members of Congress and their staffs on Capitol Hill to discuss major issues of importance to the roofing industry. Our priority issues this year will focus on solutions to workforce shortages and addressing the U.S.’ affordable housing crisis.
All you need to do is register! During the event, expert speakers and panelists will inform and inspire you to help you prepare for your meetings on Capitol Hill. As always, attendees will have ample opportunity to network and connect with fellow professionals, and we encourage you to bring key employees to the event.
To view our draft itinerary, book your hotel and register, please visit www.nrca.net/roofingday.
Trump administration announces supplemental visas for H-2B visa program
The Departments of Homeland Security and Labor announced the Trump administration will approve 35,000 supplemental visas for the H-2B seasonal visa program for fiscal year 2026, in addition to the statutory maximum of 66,000 visas allowed by law. This is a nearly 50% reduction in allocated supplemental visas compared with the amount issued during the past three fiscal years. In November 2025, NRCA had joined with other organizations in the H-2B Workforce Coalition to urge the administration to provide more than 64,000 supplemental visas given strong economic demand and ongoing workforce shortages. The departments expect to release the supplemental visas, including any eligibility criteria and filing requirements, during the coming weeks through a temporary final rule to be published in the Federal Register.
Court rules DHS termination of Temporary Protected Status was unlawful
On Dec. 31, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled the Department of Homeland Security’s termination in 2025 of Temporary Protected Status for qualifying individuals from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal was unlawful. In the ruling, the judge held the DHS decision was a “preordained, political decision” that violated the Administrative Procedures Act and the termination departed from previous methods of assessing country conditions under the law. The TPS program allows immigrants from designated countries to remain in the U.S. legally when conditions such as natural disasters, armed conflict or other humanitarian circumstances warrant.
The Trump administration has indicated it will appeal the court decision, so litigation will continue. DHS has not yet provided any guidance regarding the effects of this court decision on affected individuals. NRCA will share information about any future guidance provided by DHS for employers who may have employees with TPS from these countries.
National Labor Relations Board regains quorum after Senate confirmation of nominees
The National Labor Relations Board has regained an operating quorum after the U.S. Senate confirmed two of President Trump’s nominees Dec. 18. The new board members, who were sworn in Jan. 7, are James Murphy, who will now serve as board chair, and Scott Mayer, who will join existing member David Prouty. Additionally, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Crystal Carey to serve as the board’s general counsel. NLRB now has a statutory quorum of at least three members, which will allow it to resume normal operations with respect to enforcement of the National Labor Relations Act. The board had been unable to operate for most of 2025 given a prolonged absence of a quorum after President Trump fired two NLRB members appointed by President Biden and subsequent litigation ensued regarding the terminations. The board now has two Republican-appointed members and one Democrat-appointed member. More information is available here and here.
Register now for ROOFPAC events at NRCA’s annual convention and the 2026 IRE
You won’t want to miss the chance to have fun while supporting ROOFPAC—the only political action committee dedicated to the roofing industry—at our fundraising events during NRCA’s 139th Annual Convention and the International Roofing Expo® in Las Vegas! NRCA and National Women in Roofing present “An Evening in Las Vegas” live auction and reception Jan. 19 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Zouk Nightclub.
Also, NRCA’s silent auction begins Jan. 14 and will close Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. PST with auction items displayed in NRCA’s booth, No. 2345. Items include high-end electronics, trips and other fun items. Bids will be placed electronically; attendance at the convention and trade show is not required. NRCA is grateful for many generous sponsors who support these events so all proceeds benefit ROOFPAC. Thank you to all members who support ROOFPAC—your contributions help amplify NRCA’s work advancing pro-growth policies to protect and strengthen your business, which is crucial during this election year.
