Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) brought more than 65 industry leaders to Washington, D.C., on April 20–21 for its 2026 Congressional Fly-In, where participants met with lawmakers on issues affecting the HVACR supply chain and its customers.
The delegation, made up primarily of wholesale distributors and manufacturers, held more than 130 meetings with members of Congress and their staff. Discussions focused on legislative and regulatory priorities for the HVACR sector.
HARDI members advocated aligning federal efficiency compliance with manufacture dates rather than installation dates and called for modernization of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. They also urged Congress to protect consumer choice in energy use, support workforce development initiatives, and grant relief from Section 232 tariffs to help prevent increased costs across the HVACR supply chain.
HARDI also recently joined a coalition of HVACR and water heating industry organizations supporting the Employer-Directed Skills Act (H.R. 4049 / S. 3846) and its inclusion in the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The coalition letter was led by ACCA and PHCC and submitted under the HVACR Alliance.
The Employer-Directed Skills Act would allow employers to assess and select trainees based on business needs, provide partial reimbursement for employer-led training programs, establish accountability measures for training quality, and strengthen links between employers and workforce development systems.
“Our members are on the front lines of delivering essential HVACR systems to communities across the country, and their perspective is critical as Congress considers energy, workforce, and tax policy,” said Talbot Gee, CEO of HARDI. “The fly-in is an excellent opportunity for our members to come together, use their collective voice, and make sure legislators understand how federal decisions impact supply chains, small businesses, and consumers.”
