ArchiPAC and AIA Nevada Fundraiser for Rep. Dina Titus
ArchiPAC and AIA Nevada members recently hosted Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV) for a fundraiser in Las Vegas that raised more than $10,500 for the Congresswoman's campaign and provided an opportunity for substantive discussion on issues affecting architects and the profession.
Rep. Titus reaffirmed her commitment to the Democracy in Design Act and historic preservation as the bill's lead sponsor, while emphasizing the importance of keeping architects engaged in federal conversations on the built environment, including electrification and other environmental priorities.
She also discussed efforts to protect the profession, including appropriate use of the architect title and the ongoing debate over the federal definition of a "professional degree," which could significantly affect student loan limits and access to architectural education. Her office continues to monitor the issue closely.
Rep. Titus also reiterated her commitment to working with AIA and its members in Washington and offered to support future AIA advocacy visits to Capitol Hill.
Senate Passes Short-Term Continuing Resolution
On the last legislative day before it adjourned until September 14, the United States Senate passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government through December 11, 2026. Notably, this bill contains a provision to prevent the administration from enacting its overhaul of the federal grantmaking process until that date.
The House adjourned on July 23 after passing its own CR that does not contain this provision; they return August 31. To prevent a government shutdown, the House will either need to pass the Senate's CR or else propose another alternative that both chambers can pass.
AIA is leading a letter on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rule and will transmit it to the House in the last week of August. Several AIA members are planning in-district meetings during the August recess period to convey concerns. You can see the letter sent to the Senate on behalf of over 80 organizations here.
White House Ballroom
In June, AIA and ten other national and local nonprofit organizations filed an amicus curia ("friend of the court") brief supporting the National Trust for Historic Preservation's lawsuit challenging the demolition of the White House East Wing and construction of a new above‑ground ballroom on the White House grounds, a designated national park unit. The brief urges the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reinstate the preliminary injunction and halt further ballroom construction, emphasizing that each president is only a temporary steward of the White House and cannot demolish or radically expand the complex without clear authorization and appropriations from Congress.
Last week, a federal appeals court blocked the Trump administration's $400 million White House ballroom project, ruling in a 2–1 decision that the president lacks unilateral authority to construct the 90,000-square-foot facility without congressional approval. The D.C. Circuit placed a 14-day hold on its ruling to give the administration time to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, which President Trump announced he intends to do.
GAPP Contributes to State and Local Heat Policy Agenda
The impacts of extreme heat cost our nation more than $150 billion last year and 13 million households report being "too hot" at home. Given the increase in extreme heat episodes nationwide, AIA's Government Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) team collaborated with the Federation of American Scientists in providing sample legislation and AIA member contributions to heatproofing buildings.
Endorsed by nearly 150 organizations and government officials, the new State and Local Heat Policy Agenda supports communities to move from emergency response to long-term heat resilience. The agenda highlights proven policies and implementation strategies to help local governments address extreme heat, an implementation guide and sample state-level heat policy legislation. A news article by Smart Cities Dive about the release of the agenda is available here.
AIA Seeks Member Input on Proposed SBA Small-Business Standards
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has proposed significant increases to the size standards that determine which architecture and other professional services firms qualify as small businesses for federal contracting.
AIA is concerned that substantially higher thresholds could require small architecture firms to compete for set-aside contracts against firms with significantly greater staff, revenue, resources, and federal contracting experience. This could reduce opportunities to serve as prime contractors, make it harder for smaller firms to build federal past performance, and encourage agencies to bundle work into larger procurements.
AIA supports reasonable updates that account for inflation and help firms navigate the "graduation cliff," while preserving meaningful opportunities for genuinely small firms to compete and grow.
AIA is preparing formal comments to SBA and needs your input. If your firm currently qualifies as small, recently exceeded the threshold, or regularly pursues federal work, please tell us:
- How would the proposed thresholds affect your ability to compete for federal contracts?
- Would larger eligible competitors affect your opportunities to serve as a prime contractor?
- Are contract bundling or current size standards already creating challenges?
- What changes would better address the graduation cliff?
- Can you share specific examples or data illustrating these impacts?
Please share your feedback with Advocacy@aia.org by Friday, September 4.
AIA Leads Strategy Discussion on Section 106 and Historic Preservation
AIA convened historic-preservation advocates, legal practitioners, design professionals, and Tribal representatives at the Global Campus for Architecture and Design to develop a coordinated strategy for strengthening historic-preservation and Section 106 protections in the next Congress.
The discussion focused on the legal and policy implications of proposed changes affecting nationally significant sites and buildings, including the White House, U.S. Capitol complex, Kennedy Center, and Lafayette Park. Participants also examined the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's ongoing Section 106 rulemaking, including an anticipated 30-day public comment period, and discussed opportunities to coordinate public comments, congressional engagement, and potential litigation strategies.
Participants emphasized the importance of developing clear, actionable requests for Congress; addressing misconceptions that Section 106 review unnecessarily delays projects; and using compelling, project-specific examples to demonstrate how the law protects historic and cultural resources while allowing projects to move forward. The group also identified continued coordination among preservation, legal, design, and Tribal stakeholders as critical to presenting a unified strategy for protecting and strengthening the federal historic-preservation framework.
Watch the State & Local Team's Q3 Fireside Chat
The Government Affairs & Public Policy (GAPP) State & Local team sat down with Elizabeth Wolverton of the AIA Trust and Kevin Collins of Victor Insurance for a deep dive into everything architects need to know about professional liability, including how tort and contract law shape your risk exposure, statute of repose battles, the Spearin Doctrine, and certificate of merit laws actually mean for your firm on the ground. Packed with real claims data, this conversation connects the dots between what's happening in your state legislature and what ends up in your insurance policy. Watch here>
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Courtney Prentiss, AIA, NOMA, NCARB
AIA Government Affairs Committee Member
Immediate Past NAC At-Large Director, Advocacy
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