Matthew Groves

The Building Industry Association of Southern California, Inc. (BIASC) returned to Washington D.C. on May 23rd through 26th this year after a long absence following the recession. A delegation of 10 BIASC members and 6 staff conducted legislative briefings and attended meetings in the Nation’s Capital addressing important and timely issues such as tax reform, mortgage interest deduction protection, future of Fannie/Freddie, the desperate need for regulatory reform and moderation, the affordability crisis in California and immigration reform, including labor shortages.

BIASC continues to provide effective and impactful representation for its members in the building industry, by making it its top priority. BIASC’s government affairs committee gives its members a forum for discussing key challenges and opportunities while guiding activities on the federal, state, regional, and local levels, such as the meetings held in Washington D.C.

Some of the congressional and representative staff that BIASC met with at the Capital include: Congresswoman Mimi Walters; Congressman Darrell Issa and Legislative Counsel, Robert Rische; Congressman Steve Knight and Legislative Correspondent, Courtney Kum; Congressman Brad Sherman and Legislative Counsel Lauren Attard; Congressman Alan Lowenthal; Congressman Kevin McCarthy; Congressman Tony Cárdenas and Deputy Chief of Staff, Miguel Franco; Congresswoman Norma Torres and Chief of Staff Dara Postar; Congressman Paul Cook and Legislative Counsel, Matthew Groves; and Congressman Ken Calvert.

The trip exceeded expectations and the BIASC Member/Staff teams did a tremendous job on the ground working in concert and representing the industry well. The BIASC plans on making this an annual excursion with plans to expand the program even more for 2017.