PIA National Advocacy Day
PIA lobbies Congress on important federal issues
Members of PIANY met with their respective congressional offices as part of the 2026 PIA National Advocacy Day program that offers agents the chance to meet with federal policymakers on the issues that matter most to them.
This year, meetings were held with Rep. Mike Lawler, R-17, and Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-23. Other meetings were held with representatives from the following legislative offices: Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-2; Rep. Nick LaLota, R-1; Rep. John Mannion, D-22; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-14; Rep. Josh Riley, D-19; and Rep. Nydia Valazquez, D-7. And your leadership team was able to stop in every New York congressional office to make PIA’s presence known and leave information on our federal priorities during this one-day event.
The PIANY delegation included: Jason Bartow, AAI, CPIA, TRA, PIANY president; Michael Skeele, CIC, CPIA, PIANY outgoing national director and past president; Jamie Ferris, CIC, AAI, CPIA, CRM, PIANY incoming national director and past president; and Scott Richards, NY-YIP immediate past president; Vic Yeh, founder and CEO of Cara; Bradford J. Lachut, Esq., PIA Northeast director of government & industry affairs; and Joe Ritchie, PIA Northeast government & industry affairs coordinator.
Reshaping third-party litigation funding rules
A focus for PIA representatives on Capitol Hill was third-party litigation financing. An issue PIA members know well from their advocacy at the state level. For several years, PIANY worked to bring greater oversight and consumer protections to this practice in New York, an effort that ended in success last year. Now, similar concerns about transparency are receiving attention at the federal level. Proposals in Congress seek to increase disclosure and oversight of third-party litigation funding arrangements. During their meetings with congressional offices, PIA representatives voiced support for greater transparency and appropriate guardrails around these arrangements, bringing their experience advocating on this issue at the state level to the national conversation.
Scaffold Law reform
Another major focus of our New York meetings with federal legislators surrounding the issue of Scaffold Law reform. For independent insurance agents in New York state, affordability is no longer an abstract concern. It is a daily challenge that shows up in difficult renewals, shrinking carrier lists, and clients struggling to absorb ever increasing premiums. Few laws have contributed more to this problem in the construction insurance market than New York’s Labor Law Section 240 (aka the Scaffold Law).
Proposed federal legislation H.R.3548, sponsored by Congressman Nick Langworthy, R-23, is aimed at reforming how this law applies to federally funded projects and could be a meaningful step toward restoring affordability and stability.
Other federal priorities addressed
Other issues discussed during these legislative meetings, included long-term reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program; crop insurance; protecting state regulation of insurance; and unfair Medicare Advantage marketing and compensation practices.
The experience
PIANY President Jason Bartow, AAI, CPIA, TRA, had this to say about the experience, “Being in Washington, DC, reinforced for me why it’s so important for independent agents to show up and be part of these conversations. We see firsthand how decisions made in Washington and Albany affect our clients, our businesses and the cost of insurance. Having the opportunity to sit across the table from members of Congress and their staffs, share what we’re seeing every day, and bring real-world experience to issues like affordability, litigation funding, Scaffold Law reform, flooding issues, and crop insurance is invaluable. Advocacy works best when we show up, build relationships, and make sure the voices of independent agents and the consumers and businesses we represent are heard.”
