Beyond the Summit - Advocacy Never Stops September 13, 2024 NFDA Advocacy efforts are dedicated to representing YOUR interests and play a crucial role in ensuring that funeral service professionals have a powerful voice in Washington, D.C. NFDA Advocacy staff offer expert guidance on legislative and regulatory issues to Congress and federal agencies. Our role is to ensure that your interests are well-represented and understood at the highest levels of government. By joining our advocacy efforts, YOU help us safeguard your business from onerous federal regulations and laws that could impact your livelihood. Together we can: Champion Beneficial Policies: work to promote policies that benefit funeral directors, support small businesses, and provide better services for grieving families. Strengthen Outreach and Advocacy: broaden our efforts to share your experiences and engage additional members of Congress, amplifying our collective voice and driving greater impact. To continue advocating effectively for our profession, we need your active participation! Here are a few ways you can get involved: Meet Your Member of Congress You can be like NFDA member Brian Dingmann of Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services in Minnesota. He recently met with Rep. Tom Emmer to discuss issues important to the funeral profession, such as legislation like the Consensual Donation & Research Integrity Act, regulatory changes like the EPA review of formaldehyde, and issues that could impact funeral service and the grieving families you serve. If your U.S. Senator or Representative is hosting a campaign event, consider attending! You might also try requesting a meeting with your member of Congress when he or she is in your state. Whether you have just a few minutes to speak with your elected official or an opportunity for a more in-depth discussion, NFDA can help prepare you to share your story. We have downloadable one-pagers that give an overview of key legislative issues our profession is facing and how Congress can help support the profession and grieving families: Consensual Donation & Research Integrity Act Health Savings Accounts for Funeral Expenses Other Legislation We also have downloadable handouts on key regulatory issues impacting the profession: EPA review of formaldehyde FTC review of the Funeral Rule Members of Congress don’t always understand the economic impact that funeral service has on our nation and your local community. To help them understand just how vital it is to support our profession, download The Economic Power and Influence of the Funeral Service Profession in America for your state here. Have Questions? We’re here to support you as you advocate on behalf of your profession. If you have questions about how you can use your voice to share your story and support our Advocacy efforts, contact NFDA Senior Vice President, Advocacy, Lesley Witter, MPA, CAE, at lwitter@nfda.org. Donate to the PAC Our approach in Washington, D.C., is bipartisan and focused exclusively on issues that affect our profession. We concentrate on policy, leaving politics and partisanship to others. Your support ensures that our concerns are heard and addressed effectively. The NFDA PAC is an essential tool in amplifying our voice in Washington, D.C. and protecting our industry from legislative and regulatory challenges. Here’s how you can get involved: Support Our Efforts: Contribute to the NFDA PAC to help us support candidates who are committed to supporting funeral service professionals and advancing our shared values. Stay Informed: Keep up with our advocacy efforts and understand how they impact your business and the industry. Knowledge is power, and being informed helps you advocate more effectively. Engage with Policymakers: Join our outreach initiatives to share your story and advocate directly with members of Congress. Your experiences and insights are powerful tools for change. Participate in the Annual Advocacy Summit: Your involvement is crucial to our success. By actively participating, you help ensure that our collective voice is heard and that we can effectively influence policies that impact our profession. Be sure to attend the Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., on April 9-11, 2025. Your presence will make a significant difference. By contributing to the NFDA PAC, you are investing in the future of our profession and helping to shape a favorable environment for funeral service. Together, we can continue to protect and advance our industry. During the upcoming election, to help ensure pro-funeral service politicians stay in office, we need you to make a contribution today! Contribute Today Contributions or gifts to NFDA PAC are not tax deductible and are limited by federal law to $5,000 per person, per year. In accordance with federal law, contributions are strictly voluntary and not a condition of NFDA membership. All personal contributions to NFDA PAC are used in support of candidates for federal office. Corporate contributions cannot be used in support of candidates for federal office and are attributed to NFDA's Political Education Fund.