United Supply, a member of the Rheem Northeast Distribution, recently welcomed Congressman Mike Lawler and his staff for an engaging and informative visit focused on workforce development, community impact and HVAC industry-related policy.

The visit included a facility tour, product review and a roundtable discussion with key members of the Rheem Northeast Distribution team, including E.J. Jalil, Andrea Bardon, Renata Morgan, Hector Flores, Lilian Pichardo, Jason Kwasna, Chris Baca, and others.

In a policy-focused conversation, Congressman Lawler emphasized his commitment to promoting trade schools and vocational education as viable alternatives to traditional college pathways. United Supply also raised the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) as a matter of high importance for improving the HVACR industry’s regulatory framework and had a productive conversation with Rep. Lawler about the status of EPCA reform legislation.

During the warehouse walkthrough, Congressman Lawler demonstrated keen interest in the product's origins and manufacturing processes. The Congressman also engaged with employees, with discussions touching on the impacts of the NYS Part 494 amendment and orphaned inventory.

A key focus of the visit was workforce development. Congressman Lawler listened to contractors, including Select HVAC, who shared challenges related to skilled labor shortages and pricing pressures. Select HVAC also raised recent supply issues with R-454B refrigerant, noting improvements in availability.

“The meeting with Congressman Lawler marked our first congressional visit — and what an exciting and productive morning it was,” said Chris Baca, vice president of sales for Rheem Northeast Distribution. “We were so pleased to have the opportunity to give the Congressman a look into our operations and dig into the challenges our contractors and distributors face every day.”

This visit follows HARDI’s Congressional Fly-In, held in May in Washington, D.C., where Rheem Northeast Distribution employees met with lawmakers to discuss topics such as EPCA, refrigerant transitions, and support for tax policy to benefit the industry.