The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), publisher of the American National Standard Uniform Codes, voices its strong support for H.R. 4521, The America COMPETES Act of 2022, legislation that would support and provide billions of dollars in funding to initiatives of great importance to IAPMO membership and the plumbing industry.

The COMPETES Act, passed by the House on Friday, aims to accelerate U.S. production of critical semiconductor chips, strengthen the supply chain to make more goods in America, turbocharge America's research capacity to lead the technologies of the future, and advance global competitiveness, while supporting strong labor standards and human rights, among other key provisions.

The COMPETES Act is particularly important to IAPMO and the plumbing industry by including a number of provisions that have been long-established policy priorities for our sector. These provisions include the following:

• Establishing NIST Plumbing Research Center: Creates a laboratory to research premise plumbing in relation to water safety, security, efficiency, sustainability, and resilience to bring our water infrastructure into the 21st century.
• Supporting international standards development: Includes provisions that bolster U.S. engagement in international standards-setting bodies, encouraging U.S. private sector participation in these bodies and providing funding that will help maintain U.S. leadership in the international standards sector.
• Funding for clean water research and technology acceleration: Supports research to advance our understanding of water availability and quality as well as to support the development of innovative technologies that improve water security.
• Funding for plumbing apprenticeship programs: Reauthorizing the National Apprenticeship Act would create nearly 1 million registered apprenticeship opportunities, helping to address a worsening shortage of skilled labor necessary to protect water quality and ensure adequate sanitation.

"The America COMPETES Act lays the foundation to guarantee America leads the global economy, invests in American workers and manufacturing, and ensures that critical goods essential to our economy and national security are made right here in the United States," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ).

"Strengthening the resiliency of water and sanitation systems is at the very heart of our daily work at IAPMO," added IAPMO CEO Dave Viola. "The passage of today's legislation will not only help to improve water quality, sustainability and security in communities across America, it will also help to ensure that U.S. plumbing manufacturing stays a leader in exporting environmental technologies and innovative solutions to markets around the world."

In June, the U.S. Senate passed its own U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) with bipartisan support. Friday's passage of the COMPETES Act sets up formal negotiations between the two legislative bodies on a compromise measure that can pass both chambers. IAPMO has been watching closely and offering support while individual provisions of the COMPETES Act have been making their way through both legislative chambers.