FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
The 2026 MCAA Annual Online Auction is Now Open ↗

Laying the foundation on Capitol Hill

Words: Stephen BorgWhat another great week we had during the annual Masonry Industry Legislative Conference in Washington, DC from May 6-8, 2013. Nearly 25 members of the Mason Contractors Association of America hit Capitol Hill to meet with Members of Congress and their staffs and to meet with Federal Agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

One of the most exciting aspects to this years “fly-in” was the participation of several new MCAA members who had never travelled to Washington, DC in years past to make their voice heard. One of them told us, “What a week! I would attend again in a heartbeat!” Not only do we try to make your time in Washington fun, we also allow you to have high profile meetings with Members of Congress who want to hear your stories and are eager to help you and your business succeed.

Over this 1 and ½ day period, we met with over 100 Member of Congress’ offices, where we expressed concerns related to the job destroying burdens of the overbearing, unneeded regulations coming out of Federal Agencies such as OSHA, pushed for the enactment of a “Check-Off” program that would benefit the concrete masonry industry through research and development, education, and promotion of concrete masonry products, and expressed our thoughts and concerns over the current immigration reform debate occurring in Congress.

During this time, we also presented our 2013 MCAA Freedom and Prosperity Award to Representative Reid Ribble from Wisconsin, Representative (now Senator) Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin, Senator Roy Blunt from Missouri, and Senator Tom Udall from New Mexico. These four Members of Congress have played a vital role in ensuring that small businesses and the construction industry are able to get our economy back humming again and have thrown their weight behind our efforts to enact a check-off program that would benefit the concrete masonry industry. We look forward to continuing to work with them in the years to come and to work with the many new Members of Congress we were able to reach during this week.

If you have read this column over the years, you may be thinking that I am starting to sound like a broken record, but it is important to remember that telling your story is not a once a year event. This is just the beginning of your job of telling your story to our elected officials. Each of our elected officials is charged with representing you in government and without hearing from you, they are not able to adequately represent you and your businesses. As many of our first time Conference attendees learned, Members of Congress want and need to hear about your businesses, your stories, and your communities; and we need to make sure that they are continually hearing those stories. I would encourage you to invite your Member of Congress to visit one of your job sites; visit them when they are back in the state and share who you are and how your business is impacting their District; and how the masonry industry plays an integral role in our local and national economies.

The Keelen Group looks forward to continuing these discussions as Congress continues to do its work through the remainder of 2013. We would encourage anyone who is being impacted, both positively and negatively, by the Federal Government, to keep their eyes out for information related to the 2014 Masonry Industry Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, and join us in ensuring that Congress hears your voice, gets out of the way, and allows the masonry industry to get our economy moving again.
About: Legislative
 0
Building Solutions: The Critical Role of Cavity Space in Masonry Moisture Control
April 2026

Long before “rainscreen” became a popular term in building science, masonry cavity walls were functioning on that very principle. A brick veneer cavity wall is designed with the expectation that water will penetrate the exterior

Linda Potter
MAP Partner
Read More
A Legacy of Inspiration: Lynda Spina, CFO retires from STABILA North America
April 2026

After almost 30 years of dedicated service, Lynda Spina is retiring from her role as Chief Financial Officer of STABILA North America, closing an extraordinary chapter defined by steady leadership, financial discipline, and lasting impact.

Elsa Bueno
MAP Partner
Read More
Masonry in the Media: The Alamo, The Merchandise Mart, & More
April 2026

The scenery of films and TV shows alike is often a crucial yet underrated detail that can ultimately make or break a scene. In these American-made structures, take a look at how these movies and shows transformed iconic masonry buildings into the perfect

Lily Burger
Masonry in the Media
Read More
Announcing The Daily Digest From The MCAA
April 2026

Pay attention to your inbox starting Wednesday, April 8th. The MCAA is pleased to announce The Daily Digest, a selection of masonry news from around the world delivered right to you. “I receive daily emails from several news sou

Dan Kamys
Industry News
Read More