ROCKVILLE, MD — The Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) and its partners in the Mechanical-Electrical-Sheet Metal Alliance, the Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), brought concerns about the federal apprenticeship bill to the attention of the House Small Business Committee at a recent hearing.

H.R. 1950, the Apprenticeship Enhancement Act of 2001, requires a federal mandate of timely response to apprenticeship program approval applications in states with apprenticeship councils. The Alliance, how-ever, feels that this measure would make broader changes and would impair the effectiveness of the bal-ance of federal apprenticeship policy.

The Alliances’ statement on the legislation can be found www. mcaa.org (website) or at www. constructionalliance.org (website).