NBFAA Takes Industry Causes To Capitol Hill

  • May 12, 2009

More than 65 NBFAA members, including association board members and state leaders from across the United States, joined the government relations team during the recent two-day 2009 NBFAA Day on Capitol Hill.

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-N.Y.). 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-Calif.) 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.

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