The Angle

A year ago, I urged you as members of the AIA to share your thoughts on issues that America's architects want the national Institute to put before Congress and the White House in 2008. Many of you answered this call, providing us with valuable insight into what you thought made a difference in your practices and communities.

And the results are quite impressive! This year, with your help, your AIA was a key player in enacting legislation to promote community restoration and affordable housing, developing and advancing legislation to promote green housing, and testifying before key congressional committees on a broad range of issues from brownfields to climate change. A longer list of the issues that the AIA has accomplished at the federal level is available in the mid-year federal relations report podcast.

One example of this dedication to respond arose from an AIA member like you. Paul Renker, AIA, from the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, contacted your Washington staff regarding an issue related to a contract with a federal agency that affected small firms, and directly impacted his firm. After more detailed research, the AIA collaborated with the U.S. Small Business Administration to put this issue before Congress. As a result, Paul was invited to D.C. to testify before a subcommittee of the House Small Business Committee. Consequently, the AIA and the congressional committee are developing legislation to fix the problem...all because a member understood the value of the AIA championing an issue he and many architects have faced.

Your input does matters. I will reiterate: YOUR INPUT DOES MATTER.

Recently, George Miller, FAIA, 2009 AIA First Vice President, urged you to share your thoughts on the call for issues in preparation for the 2009 Grassroots Leadership and Legislative Conference. In his call, George emphasized the need for discussions on issues amongst the entire AIA community. In seeking input, we are urging knowledge communities, components, committees, tasks forces, and collateral organizations to hear their voices. And the input we are seeking doesn't stop there...we need your input as well.

Next year, there will be a new President and a new Congress, as well as a renewed commitment to address the complex issues facing our country that span a broad range of issues from crumbling infrastructure to health insurance. These are just some of your issues, and we want to ensure they are the AIA's issues as well.

~Clark Manus, AIA, Vice President for Advocacy

Please share your thoughts on our Call for Issues here. For more information on the current AIA Congressional Issues Agenda, or how to submit a response to the Call for Issues, visit our Web site.