On March 6, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) agreed to sponsor the Senate companion of the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act.
The decision by Markey capped off a day when the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT) had a significant presence on Capitol Hill, as LMCT Executive Director Pete Ielmini met with Markey and members of the House of Representatives.
What is the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act?
Initially introduced in late 2023, the FMIA is legislation designed to benefit taxpayers by helping federal buildings become more energy efficient.
If approved, this legislation will require a review of Mechanical Insulation during energy audits conducted on all federal buildings. If the audits reveal missing, damaged or incorrect specifications for Mechanical Insulation, these items will be corrected. In the end, the federal government will use less energy and save taxpayer money on energy bills.
Additional savings will occur as properly installed Mechanical Insulation can help extend the life of mechanical systems by limiting lost energy. This means the system will not work as hard and will likely last longer than a mechanical system that has been regularly pushed hard for years.
FMIA History
Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas) and Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) reintroduced the bill into the House in 2023 as H.R. 4663. It is expected to be reintroduced to the 119th Congress soon.
Obtaining bipartisan support is more critical now than before. In order to obtain bipartisan support, a “Noah’s Ark” approach will be used. This concept calls for one Democrat and one Republican to sign on as co-sponsors together to help ensure one party does not outnumber the other party.
Gaining Support
On the same day that Ielmini met with Markey, he also met with the offices of nine other House Democrats to get their support for the soon-to-be-reintroduced legislation. The offices that Ielmini met with included:
- Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.)
- Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas)
- Rep. Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.)
- Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.)
- Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.)
- Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.)
- Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.)
- Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.)
- Rep. Gregg Lansman (D-Ohio)
All the offices were receptive to the bill, especially since they were FMIA co-signers in the 118th Congress, and look forward to the opportunity to sign on again, in the coming weeks.
While the March 6 House visit targeted Democrats, Ielmini will return to Capitol Hill to visit with Republican members of the House in order to follow the “Noah’s Ark” plan.
Mechanical Insulation Installation Incentive Act Update
In addition to the FMIA, the LMCT has also secured the support of Sanchez and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) to co-sponsor the Mechanical Insulation Installation Incentive Act (MIIIA).
Sanchez and Fitzpatrick introduced the bill in the 118th Congress and are set to reintroduce it soon to the 119th Congress.
The bipartisan legislation will create jobs for members of the Insulators Union and promote energy efficiency by significantly reducing U.S. energy consumption and supporting the proper installation of Mechanical Insulation across the country.
Formerly known as H.R. 6104, the legislation will provide a tax incentive for the installation of Mechanical Insulation by skilled mechanics in buildings to make them more energy-efficient
The MIIIA also provides a tax credit for up to 10 percent of the labor costs incurred by a taxpayer for the installation of Mechanical Insulation on pipes and equipment.
Furthermore, the definition of depreciation will be updated to match the corresponding language used in the FMIA’s bill.