As New Hampshire’s legislative session winds down, the Business & Industry Association is ready to head to the nation’s capital to continue our fight for jobs and economic prosperity.

More than 30 BIA members accompanied by staff will take part in our second annual D.C. Fly-In this Tuesday and Wednesday, June 11-12. The Fly-In gives state business leaders exclusive access and insights into the issues, policies and politics impacting businesses at the federal level. And there’s a lot happening that could impact New Hampshire’s businesses and economy.

While BIA is New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce and leading nonpartisan business advocate, it’s increasingly important for us to have a voice in Washington, D.C. BIA has boosted our federal advocacy through our role as the New Hampshire affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers and our partnership with the U.S. Chamber. I’m proud to serve on the Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100, which advises the chamber’s board of directors and enhances lobbying and coalition work.

BIA also appreciates the strong partnership and engagement from our federal delegation with New Hampshire’s business community. BIA has proudly served as a partner for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s NH Business Day luncheon for many years, and member interest in that event helped spur the creation of our Fly-In program.

Earlier this year, Chad Moutray, NAM’s chief economist, led BIA’s Economic Forecast Webinar and warned “a huge regulatory onslaught coming from Washington” threatens U.S. manufacturing. Several proposed regulations could harm businesses in New Hampshire and nationwide. This is especially true as the United States benefits from a manufacturing renaissance boosted by federal reshoring efforts.

Case in point is the Environmental Protection Agency’s bid for even more stringent regulations for fine particle pollution, or PM2.5. The standard was tightened in 2012 and EPA reports a 42% decrease in the national average of PM2.5 from 2000 to 2022. The Northeast saw a 48% decline. Modern U.S. manufacturing is thriving through clean technologies, but EPA is ignoring private sector solutions. Its latest proposed regulation would weaken manufacturers’ ability to invest in technology that would continue to reduce emissions and jeopardize high-paying manufacturing jobs.

EPA efforts to regulate PFAS under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act is another example. Its proposed limits are less than 10 parts per trillion. A part per trillion is a single drop of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The EPA’s proposal effectively sets an unachievable standard that will raise consumer prices, threaten manufacturing supply chains and impose severe financial burdens on local communities and ratepayers who will pay for cleanup efforts. This issue is an example of why it’s critical for federal lawmakers and regulators to work with industry leaders to find workable, pragmatic solutions.

Another regulation would have a broader impact on businesses. The Federal Trade Commission seeks to ban new noncompete agreements with all workers, including senior executives, and retroactively invalidate millions of existing agreements. BIA is among trade associations and chambers of commerce across the nation calling for the FTC to delay the rule’s effective date of Sept. 4, 2024, to allow for the rule to be reviewed by the courts. Broad, sweeping changes to our economy through agency rulemaking deserves scrutiny to ensure the commission is not exceeding its authority. The fast-approaching deadline and unclear guidance on implementing this rule is already imposing significant costs and uncertainty for businesses and employees.

The American Privacy Rights Act, now before the House of Representatives, is another example of federal policy complicating an issue that states are already addressing thoughtfully. After years of inaction by Congress, 17 states, including New Hampshire, have enacted model legislation that provides robust consumer data privacy protection. As currently drafted, the federal legislation fails to establish a meaningful uniform national data protection standard, undermining the harmonized state-level legislation.

One thing Congress can do to help multiple industries is to restore the ability of U.S. companies to immediately deduct 100% of their research and development expenses. That was the case through 2021, but the 2017 federal tax legislation requires companies to amortize R&D costs over multiple years. This makes R&D more expensive and reduces companies’ ability to compete globally. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 passed the House but awaits action in the Senate. The bipartisan bill, co-sponsored by New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan, also expands the child tax credit, focusing on low-income families. BIA appreciates Sen. Hassan’s support and leadership on this key issue.

BIA members will bring these issues and more to D.C. We’re confident a unified voice of Granite State businesses will help federal lawmakers and regulators find a proper balance that allows for continued business success and prosperity for all.

Michael Skelton is president and CEO of the Business & Industry Association. Visit BIAofNH.com.