ARLINGTON, Va. - The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) has announced that the next in its series of “Hot Topics” online forums, set for March 5, will be an interactive conversation with Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio).

Velázquez is chairperson of the House Small Business Committee, where Chabot also serves as the ranking Republican member.

ACCA said that the House Small Business Committee remains one of the few strongly bipartisan panels on Capitol Hill, and America’s entrepreneurs benefit from the good working relationship between committee Chairwoman Velázquez and Ranking Member Chabot.

As the lead Democrat and Republican on the committee, they have set an ambitious agenda since 2007, holding nearly 50 hearings on such important issues as health care costs, small business access to capital, relief from government regulation, and tax reform.

The committee recently passed into law HR 2389, the Small Energy Efficient Business Act, which will help small businesses purchase high efficiency products, such as HVACR equipment.

During their online forum, “Small Business Legislative Outlook,” Reps. Velázquez and Chabot will discuss their plans for 2008 and their efforts to ensure that small business legislative priorities remain high on the agenda of both parties during an election year. Via the Web interface, ACCA members will be able to ask questions of both representatives on policy and political issues.

This forum is the second in a series offered exclusively for ACCA members. It will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern time on March 5, 2008 and last about 90 minutes. There is no charge to participate in the forum, though registration and active ACCA membership are required. For more information and to register, visit www.acca.org/hottopics/.

Publication date:02/25/2008