ASA Advocacy Update: Congressional Action, California Regulations and Federal Policy

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As Congress enters its July 4 recess, attention is shifting from floor votes to the policy priorities and legislative negotiations that will shape the second half of the year. From federal advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill to state-level regulatory proposals, ASA continues to represent the interests of PHCP-PVF distributors on the issues that impact business operations, workforce development and the industry's regulatory environment. Here's a look at the latest developments from Washington and beyond.

Federal

High Performance Buildings Week: ASA Vice President of Advocacy Steve Rossi recently participated in High Performance Buildings Week on Capitol Hill. ASA is a member of the High Performance Building Coalition, which began as a caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives and has since grown to include more than 100 organizations across the built environment. As Policy Chair, Steve helps guide the coalition’s shared policy priorities in both chambers of Congress. During the week, the coalition hosted a congressional staff briefing on AI data centers, met with committee leadership in the House and Senate, and engaged with Administration officials at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency. Discussions focused on key priorities, including protecting the Energy Star and WaterSense programs, advancing workforce investment legislation, and supporting a more effective regulatory environment.

Congress: With Congress heading into the July 4th recess, legislative activity has largely slowed. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson continues to navigate a narrow majority, with several Republican members resisting movement on major legislation, including the new housing bill, as they seek concessions from the Senate. Although House appropriators have drafted their funding bills, the Senate still has work ahead on its own appropriations process. Majority Leader John Thune is facing similar challenges within his caucus on pending legislation and nominations. Both leaders will need to use the upcoming break to identify a path forward for advancing bills on the floor. In the House, many conservative members (including several retiring at the end of this term) remain reluctant to support rules that would allow individual bills to proceed. In the Senate, securing the 60 votes needed for passage has become increasingly difficult. As a result, several legislative priorities, including supplemental funding related to the Iran conflict and elements of the SAVE Act addressing election security, may ultimately be folded into two or even three reconciliation packages.

CTA: ASA continues to support repeal of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), enacted as part of the 2021 defense bill. The law originally required most companies to report beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), raising significant privacy and compliance concerns for small businesses. While FinCEN has narrowed the rule to exempt U.S. companies and U.S. persons from reporting requirements, the statute remains in place. ASA will continue working with coalition partners to pursue full repeal and prevent future compliance burdens on distributors.

State

California: ASA continues to engage with California policymakers on a proposal from the California Energy Commission (CEC) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) that would require distributors to collect and report data on all water heating equipment sold in the state. ASA is meeting with key policymakers and industry partners to address the proposal’s potential burden on California distributors and the precedent it could set for similar policies in other states.

Politics

President Trump Job Approval (RCP Average): 41% Approve – 57% Disapprove.

Generic Congressional Ballot (RCP Average): Democrats +5.6%. The House currently has a composition of 219 Republicans to 212 Democrats, 4 Vacant: CA-14 (Swalwell), Runoff: 08/18/2026; TX-23 (Gonzalez), Special: TBD; FL-20 (Cherfilius-McCormick), Special: TBD; GA-13 (Scott), Special: 07/28/2026. The Senate is comprised of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats.

By Stephen Rossi, VP of Advocacy