Masonry Magazine July 2008 Page. 20
LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE
In May, an energized group of masonry industry leaders and professionals converged on Washington during the 2008 Masonry Industry Legislative Conference. The conference was held May 12-14, sponsored by the MCAA and the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA). Leaders from both associations attended, along with masonry business owners from around the nation.
The MCAA has a new government affairs group, The Keelen Group, consisting of Matthew Keelen and Eric Dell as principles. Keelen and Dell are each extremely experienced on Capitol Hill. They breathed energy and excitement into our conference crowd, and expressed their willingness to assist us in protecting our industry through governmental processes.
The Legislative Conference provided attendees the opportunity to have face-to-face interactions and meetings with members of Congress, key committee staff and Federal agency officials regarding legislative, policy and regulatory issues of immediate concern to the industry.
On May 12, the group was briefed at the Dirksen Senate office building. This year, Congressional speakers and contacts seemed less engaged in legislative matters and more focused, instead, on the rapidly approaching elections. Serious efforts to resolve crucial national energy policy issues and to deal with the estate tax and alternative minimum tax matters are basically on hold, along with virtually every other issue targeted by the masonry industry.
The only appropriations measure with any chance of passing before the elections is the defense bill. The Democrat controlled Congress is simply waiting out the elections, sensing bigger gains and greater opportunity to be heavy-handed in ramming their agendas through. The only areas in which Democrats seem to be softening a little are estate tax and alternative minimum tax, where an increasing number of middle economic class voters are being affected. Neither tax is expected to be repealed; immigration reform is not about to happen; no viable solution to the global war on terrorism is eminent, and the economy continues to worsen because of the out-of-control oil prices.
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HOHMANN & BARNARD'S ANCHORING SYSTEMS • FLASHING SYSTEMS
DUB'L LOOP-LOK Reinforcement System
100% protection against separation of wire tie from reinforcement.
Allows in-plane vertical and horizontal movement of masonry wythes while restraining tension and compression.
Loops welded shut to maintain allowable tolerance and system integrity.
Unlike horizontal eyelets, vertical loops will not clog with mortar as construction progresses.
Loop extends one direction only to allow simple placement of insulation.
Slip on Loop-Lok™ Washer to mechanically lock insulation in place.
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U.S. Patents 5,408,798; 6,668,505 6,789,365; 6,851,239 Other Pats. Pending
HOHMANN & BARNARD'S MIGHTY-LOKM High Strength
Large diameter eyelets and pintles afford usage where high strength requirements are present and standard eyelets and pintles would fail (including extra-wide cavity conditions). Also designed for usage where standard eyelets and pintles would fail due to greater than normal misalignment of mortar joints between the 2 wythes
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Rounded eyelets engage pintles snugly in conformance with existing codes (less than 1/16" mechanical play). No oblong-shaped eyelets as found on other systems
Available Truss style (#170-ML) or Ladder style (#270-ML).