President Trump nominates Keith Sonderling for secretary of labor
On June 29, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Keith Sonderling to serve as secretary of labor. Sonderling has been serving as acting secretary of labor since former Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned in April and was the deputy secretary of labor before that. Sonderling has extensive experience as a labor and employment attorney in the private sector, served as acting administrator at DOL’s Wage and Hour Division and also served on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission during the first Trump administration. Sonderling will need to be confirmed by the Senate, which is expected to take up his nomination for consideration soon.
NRCA urges Congress to repeal Corporate Transparency Act
NRCA continued its ongoing advocacy efforts to protect the sensitive information of small businesses in the roofing industry by signing a coalition letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) urging them to include a Corporate Transparency Act amendment in the must-pass Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. Specifically, the language would codify the Treasury Department’s interim final rule from March 2025 to permanently exempt U.S. businesses from beneficial ownership information reporting that was mandated by the Corporate Transparency Act.
Unfortunately, the House Rules Committee ultimately ruled against including a specific Corporate Transparency Act amendment in the House version of the NDAA because it was ruled not to be germane to the underlying legislation. Despite this setback, ongoing efforts remain to protect more than 32 million small businesses from this invasive regulation coming back in the future. For example, Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) have offered similar codify/repeal amendments to the Senate’s version of the NDAA and requested their language be considered during floor deliberations during the coming months.
The Corporate Transparency Act was originally passed by Congress as part of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 to crack down on the illicit activities of shell companies. NRCA has long opposed the law because it would require legitimate small-business owners—who pose no risk to national security—to provide sensitive private data to the federal government under the guise of combatting illicit finance. NRCA will continue working with lawmakers and/or regulators to finalize a permanent fix to the Corporate Transparency Act.
Urge Congress to increase funding for Perkins CTE State Grants!
As lawmakers continue consideration of funding levels for federal programs, please take a moment to contact your members of Congress using NRCA’s grassroots website and urge support for increased funding for Perkins State Grants that fund career and technical education programs at the state and local levels. Chronic workforce shortages are the top challenge facing roofing industry employers throughout the U.S. as demographic trends make it increasingly difficult to find qualified candidates for well-paying, family-sustaining jobs. Increased funding for Perkins State Grants is essential to providing strategies and tools to help employers address future workforce development needs.
NRCA urges transition assistance for Temporary Protected Status terminations
In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision which allows the Trump administration to move forward with its decisions to terminate Temporary Protected Status for foreign nationals from Haiti and Syria, NRCA is urging the administration to provide transition assistance for employees and employers affected by this and other actions related to revocation of TPS. In a coalition letter with allied industry associations to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, NRCA urges the secretary to ensure any termination of TPS is implemented in a “manner that minimizes unnecessary disruption to American businesses, workers, and communities.” It further urges DHS to “work with Congress to strengthen and modernize our legal immigration system” to address the TPS terminations and other workforce related issues.
On July 1, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released updates extending the expiration dates of employment authorization documents related to TPS for nationals from Haiti and other countries. These updates conform regulations with ongoing litigation and establish a new expiration date of July 10, 2026, for TPS-related employment authorization. USCIS could change this date, and NRCA members with employees with TPS should aways check with legal counsel regarding the work authorization status of any affected employees.
NRCA is renewing efforts to urge Congress to move expeditiously regarding immigration reforms that address workforce needs. NRCA supports the Dignity Act (H.R. 4393), bipartisan immigration legislation that includes the opportunity for individuals who have worked legally under TPS to earn permanent legal status, as well as H.R. 1689, legislation to direct DHS to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, which was approved by the House in April and is now before the Senate. But with the November mid-term elections rapidly approaching, any legislation faces severe political headwinds.
House committee approves legislation to track use of AI in the workplace
On June 26, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved the AI Workforce Assessment and Research Enhancement Act (H.R. 9381) by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), chairman of the committee. The bill would require the Bureau of Labor Statistics to systematically collect and publish data regarding how artificial intelligence is being used in U.S. workplaces. It would require the agency to track AI adoption by employers and AI use by workers and measure how AI affects job duties, hiring, employment levels, wages, training and workforce skills. It would take effect 18 months after enactment and is intended to provide policymakers, employers, educators and workers with better data to understand AI's effects on the labor market and inform workforce and education policy. The bill does not regulate AI or restrict its use in any way. The bill was approved on a party-line vote of 19-14, with all Republicans supporting and all Democrats opposing.
Planning to attend NRCA’s Midyear Committee Meetings in Chicago?
Join your roofing friends and colleagues for a lively cocktail reception benefiting ROOFPAC, the roofing industry’s voice in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, July 15, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the Gallery Terrace at the Gwen Hotel in Chicago. This networking event is one you will not want to miss while supporting the future of the industry ($175 per person/$275 per couple). Members of NRCA’s Political Insiders Council and Capitol Hill Club, along with their guests, receive complimentary admission. Special thanks to our sponsor Johns Manville for making this event possible.
To register, please visit www.nrca.net/roofpac-midyear-event. For any questions or to secure the couples’ rate, contact Teri Dorn at (202) 510-0920 or tdorn@nrca.net.
