The International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers has been making their voice heard lately on the legislative front.
Recently, the Insulators Union were able to influence and/or change support of a bill or funding. The first instance took place regarding section 502 of the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act, which would provide taxpayers a credit for up to 10 percent of labor costs incurred when installing mechanical insulation property into a mechanical system.
Mechanical insulation has numerous benefits, as insulating and jacketing mechanical systems makes them more energy efficient and environmentally friendly by reducing emissions.
Chip Gardiner, Insulators Union Director of Government Affairs, is skeptical if the bill will be made law because it lacks support from Republicans.
He is confident however, another section of the bill may become law. Section 502 of the GREEN Act has received bipartisan support, and it may be added to a different piece of legislation, which has a greater chance of becoming law.
The second item the HFIAW was able to advocate for was the Ban Asbestos Now bill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee recently approved a revised version of this important piece of legislation, which is one of the top priorities for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO).
After committee debate, the bill was reworked to achieve bipartisan support. Although asbestos is a dated material, which has not been used for almost 30 years, the Insulators Union still supports the Ban Asbestos Now bill.
The bill contains a provision, which requires the federal government to submit a report on existing legacy asbestos. Finally, the Insulators Union is also working to secure funding for the Mesothelioma Patient Registry Bank.
In 2019, the Insulators Union successfully secured funding to begin the study.
One version of the fiscal year 2020 appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services contains the funds, while the other does not.
Continue to check back for more legislative updates as these bills and funding stand to benefit the Insulators Union membership.
