The midterm elections are now over, and Democrats won decisively, flipping control of both the House and Senate for the upcoming 120th Congress which begins on January 3, 2027.
Lawmakers will return to Washington during this “lame duck” period to negotiate and attempt to pass several important matters, including permitting reform, a possible tax extenders package which could result in a restoration of energy tax credits and workforce tax incentives, power-grid related legislation, and completion of the FY 2027 appropriations package that funds all government agencies. The current agreement expires on December 11.
When the next Congress convenes in January, the incoming majority is expected to pursue investigations of the administration, potentially consuming time and attention that might otherwise be devoted to legislating. President Trump has signaled his willingness to work with Democrats in Congress next year, “if they are willing to work with me”.
With divided government making major legislation more difficult, we expect the President to continue using executive authority to pursue portions of his agenda.
For NAED, the fundamental objectives of our Government Relations agenda will not change, but the political environment in which we pursue them will. We remain committed to policies that help electrical distributors compete and grow, including sensible tax and regulatory policies, targeted workforce initiatives, grid modernization and electrification, and stronger domestic supply chains.
Other issues will surely arise, and we are well suited to weigh in on these conversations thanks in part to our Government Relations Advisory Committee, our political outreach through NAED PAC, and the sheer size and reach of our industry.
Finally, NAED will be circulating a government relations survey to our members soon, and we encourage your company to participate. The feedback we receive from you will help us focus our agenda and be prepared to put our best foot forward when speaking with policymakers.
As is always the case, if you have issues you would like to discuss, you can always contact Bud Deflaviis, NAED’s Director of Government Relations, by email at bud@naed.org.
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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTORS