Legislative Conference Creates Momentum
By Matthew B. Keelen, Michael J. Falencki
Thanks to the momentum generated by the MCAA Fly-In last month, the MCAA’s federal affairs team, The Keelen Group, has been working on the 3% withholding legislation and life-cycle costing in the MilCon appropriations bill.
The 3% withholding bill has been introduced in the House (H.R. 275) by Congressmen Kendrick Meek (FL) and Wally Herger (CA), and already has 52 cosponsors. Thirty-five cosponsors have joined the bill since the MCAA congressional visits occurred. The bill has been introduced in the Senate (S. 292) by Senator Arlen Specter (PA) and has eight cosponsors. The Keelen Group will work with the sponsors of these bills to garner more support and work on a legislative strategy to move the bill. The MCAA will distribute letters of support and direct member contact.
We are working with Senator Mark Pryor (AR) and his staff on possible solutions to ensure that life-cycle costing is considered in military construction projects. The MCAA has pushed this effort in various states across the country, and, with The Keelen Group, will continue to work with Congress on a solution to this issue.
Additionally, our team will continue tracking and analyzing immigration, health care, tax, and pension reform efforts, so that the MCAA is prepared to fight for favorable provisions for the masonry industry. The Fly-In provided critical momentum for the MCAA, and we must remain active to position ourselves for legislative success.
About the Authors
Matthew B. Keelen, founder and President of the government affairs firm The Keelen Group, is a widely known and highly regarded lobbyist and political strategist with experience building relationships with key figures and a reputation for consistently delivering hard-earned victories. Acknowledged for his innate ability to establish and develop long lasting political relationships, Keelen has dozens of time-tested relationships with Members of Congress, including many who are in positions of considerable influence today. To learn more about The Keelen Group, visit www.keelengroup.com.
Michael J. Falencki is the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of policy for The Keelen Group, a government relations/lobbying, consulting and strategic services practice in Washington, D.C. Michael spent more than four years working on Capitol Hill and has spearheaded policy, legislative, and communications strategies for a host of clients, including the Mason Contractors Association of America, AT&T, The Society of the Plastics Industry and Archer Daniels Midland. To learn more about The Keelen Group, visit www.keelengroup.com.
