04/08/2022

ASAE Report: American Associations Day 2022

The advocacy fly-in was deemed a success

Today, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) issued a report with some positive updates.

Last week, ASAE hosted its first in-person American Associations Day in three years! This program, which is ASAE’s annual legislative advocacy event, provides a unique opportunity for advocates to convene and promote policies that support our broader community and workers across the country.

It was nice to be back in-person, and we’re extremely grateful to the more than 100 advocates, including Tom Balzer, MBA, CAE, the Ohio Trucking Association and chair of the OSAP Foundation, and Jarrod A. Clabaugh, CAE, the president & CEO of OSAP and the OSAP Foundation, who traveled to Washington, D.C. and voiced support for ASAE’s industry-, profession- and economy-building policy priorities. ASAE's American Associations Day group collectively represented 20 states and conducted almost 100 meetings with Congressional staff of which approximately two-thirds were in-person.

ASAE’s Policy Priorities

As a refresher, ASAE’s top three federal priorities remain:

1. Pandemic risk coverage to help protect association events and the events industry. Conferences, meetings and other events provide the means for organizations to pay staff, promote their stakeholders, lead communities and support America’s economy. Associations, event venues, hospitality providers and the millions of companies and employees they support need pandemic coverage for event cancellation to protect jobs and our community’s far-reaching economic impact. Read ASAE’s Pandemic Risk Coverage Leave-Behind for more information.
2. Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (R. 2171/ S. 905). This legislation would expand eligible uses of tax-favorable “529” savings plans to cover costs associated with workforce training and credentialing programs. It would also enable 529 plan beneficiaries to use their funds to pay for examinations necessary to obtain and maintain recognized private professional certifications and other credentials.
3. Resources and Education to Build (REBUILD) Skills Act (bill number TBD). This legislation, which is not yet introduced, would create a federally funded Career Rebuilding Scholarship Fund, administered by approved certification organizations and worker training programs, to distribute scholarships to eligible individuals who take certification exams or enroll in training. Funds would cover up to the lesser of 95% or $3,000 of a program. Read ASAE’s Workforce Development Leave-Behind for more information.

2022 American Associations Day Awards

ASAE was also honored to recognize two association champions during American Associations Day:

1. Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) received ASAE’s 2022 Sentinel Award in recognition of his efforts to promote workforce development (he is working on the REBUILD Skills Act outlined above).
2. Stephen J. Caldeira received ASAE’s Association Policy Leadership Award for his tireless support and stewardship within association community. He is president and CEO of the Household and Commercial Products Association and the immediate past chair of ASAE’s board of directors.