Situational Awareness
Both the House of Representatives and Senate are in session this week. After sending lawmakers home early last week after a failed vote on a rules package that would allow for debate on a number of priority bills, House GOP leadership is setting their sights on passing a compromise budget resolution that unlocks the next step in the reconciliation process: writing a sweeping tax and immigration bill. Senate Republicans adopted the budget blueprint—a set of instructions to committees on total savings and new spending—early on Saturday morning. It’s now a numbers game for Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) as he works to convince a handful of unconvinced GOP fiscal hawks to lend their support for the measure.
NCA on the Hill
NCA President & CEO Joe Trauger has recently been on Capitol Hill meeting with House Ways and Means Committee members and will be meeting with additional members of the committee this week. The Senate passage of a budget resolution Saturday morning brings them more in line with the House strategy of moving one massive reconciliation package instead of breaking into two tranches as the Senate originally planned. As a result of this development the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees are beginning to discuss details of what and how provisions will be structured in the reconciliation bill. This is an important development in the broader sense, but also more pointedly to concerns NCA and others have about potential changes to tax treatment of nonprofits. The turmoil in financial markets related to last week’s tariff announcement elevates the urgency among Republicans in Congress to get more clarity around their plan for reconciliation and provide more details on what will be in the package. NCA will keep members informed of any developments during the drafting of the reconciliation bill and encourages members to contact their representatives and senators to let them know of their concern and opposition to changes affecting 501(c)(7) status.
Now Available: Updated DOL Independent Contractor Backgrounder
As Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer begins to build out her leadership team, NCA expects federal labor agencies to begin the process of rolling back Biden-era regulations that impact certain workers’ eligibility for overtime pay and benefits. Concurrently, various legal challenges to finalized rules continue to progress through the courts. As such, NCA has updated its policy backgrounder on the DOL’s Biden-era independent contractor regulation that remains in place. NCA will continue to keep its membership updated on these developments.
DOL Secretary Chavez-DeRemer Announces ‘America at Work’ Listening Tour
On Friday, DOL Secretary Chavez-DeRemer announced that she will participate in a listening tour across the US to meet with various workers, union members, employers, and community leaders to inform the agencies’ efforts to update existing labor policies and regulations. The agency laid out the top priorities for the Secretary’s listening tour, which include “supporting federal labor policies that empower both workers and job creators” and “cutting the red tape stifling innovation or job growth while protecting workers’ rights.”
Widespread Workforce Cuts Occur at Federal Workplace Safety Research Agency
Around 900 employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), as well as the agency’s director, John Howard, were laid off last week as the Trump administration and DOGE officials continue to direct widespread workforce cuts across the executive branch. NIOSH provides the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with research, training, and resource development to respond to occupational injuries and hazards. The agency, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), was tasked several years ago with publishing criteria for a recommended federal occupational heat stress standard. The 2016 document included recommendations for employers about how to prevent heat-related illnesses.
ICYMI
- USCIS announced that the agency received enough petitions to reach the congressionally established H-2B cap for the second half of FY 2025.
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit halted a decision issued by a district court judge that blocked President Trump’s removal of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Chair Gwynne Wilcox.
New Webcast: Cyber Insurance Basics: What Your Club Needs to Know
Join us on Thursday, April 10 at 2pm EST to learn how to strengthen your cyber security program.
This session will explore how a club’s cybersecurity measures impact cyber insurance—from the application process to ongoing compliance. We’ll discuss what insurers typically look for, why accurate security disclosures matter and how strengthening your club’s cyber posture can position you for better coverage. Whether you’re considering a new policy or preparing for renewal, understanding the connection between cybersecurity and insurance is key to managing risk and costs effectively. Register here.
New Webcast: Getting Culture Right
On Thursday, May 22 at 2pm EST, join us to learn how to better establish your club’s culture. This session, led by Larry Hirsh of Golf Property Analysts and Jon Last of Sports & Leisure Research Group continues the conversation they started in the winter edition of Club Director and will identify questions clubs need to address and answer and how to learn about their club’s culture to plan effectively for a successful future. Register here.
