Trade Associations
Here's a look at documents from national and international trade associations
Featured Stories
Rising Energy Costs Threaten Family Farms, Consumers With High Food Prices, New CEA Report Finds
HOUSTON, Texas, Nov. 20 (TNSrpt) -- The Consumer Energy Alliance issued the following news release on Nov. 18, 2025:
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Rising Energy Costs Threaten Family Farms, Consumers with High Food Prices, New CEA Report Finds
* Families paid 22% more for food at end of 2024 than they did at beginning of 2021
* $2 rises in diesel, natural gas prices would cost average-sized family farms $14,000-$31,000/year more
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Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), the leading energy and environmental advocate for families and businesses, today released its annual "Farm-to-Table" analysis, which unpacks how higher
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HOUSTON, Texas, Nov. 20 (TNSrpt) -- The Consumer Energy Alliance issued the following news release on Nov. 18, 2025:
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Rising Energy Costs Threaten Family Farms, Consumers with High Food Prices, New CEA Report Finds
* Families paid 22% more for food at end of 2024 than they did at beginning of 2021
* $2 rises in diesel, natural gas prices would cost average-sized family farms $14,000-$31,000/year more
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Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), the leading energy and environmental advocate for families and businesses, today released its annual "Farm-to-Table" analysis, which unpacks how higherenergy costs lead to more expensive grocery bills and risk the viability of family-owned American farms.
The report looks at energy's overlooked but essential role in every stage of agricultural production, including paying for fuel, fertilizer, and electricity. Since 97% of American farms are family-owned, even minor energy cost increases can leave a lasting impact, adding burdens to farms and raising the prices consumers pay at the grocery store. Families paid 21% more for food at the end of 2024 than they did at the beginning of 2021.
"Energy is in every bite of every meal Americans eat, and it's easy to overlook how much energy prices contribute to food prices," Consumer Energy Alliance President David Holt said. "There's a reason economists exclude food and fuel from core inflation data - because the prices are closely connected. When energy prices rise, farms feel the pressure quickly. By the time the harvest is done and agricultural products reach supermarkets and farm stands, consumers feel it."
CEA's report finds that if diesel prices were to increase by $2 per gallon and natural gas by $2 per MMBtu (about as much energy as 8 gallons of gasoline), the average-sized family farm would pay $14,000 - $31,000 more a year in energy costs. The impact would hit smaller family farms the hardest, as USDA research shows that 52%-79% of these farms operate in the "high risk" zone with profit margins below 10%. For every dollar of sales made, the company has 10 cents left as profit after accounting for all of operating expenses.
"The stakes are high for our country's rural communities and America's food security," Holt said. "Sound policies that deliver affordable, reliable energy lead to lower food costs. Ignore those who say we need less agricultural production or less energy - abundance and affordability go hand-in-hand at the dinner table and the gas pump."
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About Consumer Energy Alliance
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is the trusted voice advocating for affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy solutions that benefit all Americans. Representing families, farmers, small businesses, distributors, producers, and manufacturers, CEA champions sensible, balanced policies that support economic growth and environmental resiliency; and ensures families and businesses are a vocal part of the nation's energy dialogue. Every day, we work to inspire practical, responsible solutions that meet America's energy needs while protecting the environment for generations to come.
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REPORT: https://consumerenergyalliance.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CEA-Farm-to-Table-Report-FINAL.pdf
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Original text here: https://consumerenergyalliance.org/2025/11/rising-energy-costs-threaten-family-farms-consumers-with-high-food-prices-new-cea-report-finds/
[Category: Energy]
Real Estate Firms Cite Housing Affordability and Rising Costs as Biggest Challenges
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The National Association of Realtors posted the following news release on Nov. 19, 2025:
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Real Estate Firms Cite Housing Affordability and Rising Costs as Biggest Challenges
Despite these obstacles, more firms expect profitability to increase
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Real estate firms are bracing for continued challenges related to housing affordability and rising industry costs, according to the 2025 Profile of Real Estate Firms published by the National Association of REALTORS(R) today.
Top challenges for real estate firms
* Housing affordability (56%)
* Industry costs (36%, up from
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The National Association of Realtors posted the following news release on Nov. 19, 2025:
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Real Estate Firms Cite Housing Affordability and Rising Costs as Biggest Challenges
Despite these obstacles, more firms expect profitability to increase
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Real estate firms are bracing for continued challenges related to housing affordability and rising industry costs, according to the 2025 Profile of Real Estate Firms published by the National Association of REALTORS(R) today.
Top challenges for real estate firms
* Housing affordability (56%)
* Industry costs (36%, up from34% in 2023)
* Local economic conditions (35%, up from 34% in 2023)
Despite these challenges, 38% of firms expect their profitability to increase in 2025, up from 30% in 2023--the last time this survey was conducted.
"Real estate firms are on the frontlines of the industry and are seeing firsthand how housing affordability and local economic conditions are impacting their clients," said Jessica Lautz, NAR deputy chief economist. "Firms are also experiencing the rising cost of running their businesses. While the current real estate market is challenging, the majority of firms expect profitability to at least remain stable."
The report measures characteristics of real estate firms nationwide to determine how they operate and assess what lies ahead. NAR surveyed its broker members to better understand firms' demographics, composition and characteristics from the executive and manager perspective.
Additional key findings from the report
* 46% of sales volume is generated from repeat business and 44% from past client referrals.
* 35% of firms are actively recruiting-- down 5% from 2023.
* 81% of real estate firms have a single office (identical to 2023), with two full-time real estate licensees on average (down from three in 2023).
* 19 years: The amount of time the average residential firm has been operating (up from 16 years in 2023).
* 25 years: The amount of time the average commercial firm has been operating (identical to 2023).
* 71% of firms encourage agents to pursue certifications and designations.
* 61% of firms encourage agents to take additional training classes.
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About the National Association of REALTORS(R)
The National Association of REALTORS(R) is involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate. The term REALTOR(R) is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS(R) and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. For free consumer guides about navigating the homebuying and selling transaction processes - from written buyer agreements to negotiating compensation - visit facts.realtor.
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Original text here: https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/real-estate-firms-cite-housing-affordability-and-rising-costs-as-biggest-challenges
[Category: Real Estate]
NAHB Offers Lawmakers Recommendations on National E-Verify System
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 [Category: Real Estate] -- The National Association of Home Builders posted the following news release on Nov. 19, 2025:
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NAHB Offers Lawmakers Recommendations on National E-Verify System
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today offered Congress several recommendations to make a national E-Verify employment verification system workable for small businesses and members of the residential construction industry.
Testifying on behalf of NAHB before the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, Chris Gamvroulas, president of Ivory
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 [Category: Real Estate] -- The National Association of Home Builders posted the following news release on Nov. 19, 2025:
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NAHB Offers Lawmakers Recommendations on National E-Verify System
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today offered Congress several recommendations to make a national E-Verify employment verification system workable for small businesses and members of the residential construction industry.
Testifying on behalf of NAHB before the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, Chris Gamvroulas, president of IvoryDevelopment, a land acquisition and development firm based in Salt Lake City, told lawmakers that in order to adopt a nationwide E-Verify mandate, Congress must ensure that businesses of all sizes can best be served under a national requirement.
"Approximately 80% of NAHB members have fewer than 10 employees and often lack human resources, legal departments and even office-based hiring processes," said Gamvroulas. "Therefore, NAHB believes that any legislation which mandates the use of E-Verify nationwide must work for the smallest employer as well as it works for the largest."
Gamvroulas said that NAHB supports the concept of a national E-Verify system as long as it includes the following provisions to protect both the employer and the employee:
* Maintains an employer's responsibility for only verifying the identities of direct employers, meaning that home builders would not be required to verify their subcontractors or subcontractors' workers.
* Provides employers safe harbors for good-faith use of the E-Verify system, including identity fraud.
* Expedites the verification process closer to an employee's hiring date.
* Ensures that all systems requirements are accessible to small business operators, including by telephone.
"Finally, any legislation which mandates the use of E-Verify nationwide must include a strong pre-emption clause, preventing state and local governments from creating and enforcing their own verification requirements for employers," said Gamvroulas. "If employers are required to use the federal E-Verify program, they must be assured there is only one set of rules for compliance."
Gamvroulas also told lawmakers that E-Verify is part of a broader workforce issue facing the housing sector, namely the significant labor shortage in the construction industry that is delaying home building projects and raising housing costs.
"A recent study conducted by NAHB, the Home Builders Institute and the University of Denver found that labor shortages are extending the construction timeline of the average single-family home by nearly two months," said Gamvroulas. "The direct cost impact of extended construction times amounts to $2.66 billion annually, meaning higher carrying costs for home builders and fewer affordable options for home buyers."
To advance solutions that invest in our nation's domestic workforce and promote opportunities for Americans to seek well-paying and meaningful careers in the trades, Gamvroulas urged Congress to immediately pass the CONSTRUCTS Act. This bipartisan legislation pending in the House and Senate would ensure residential construction training providers, such as community colleges and trade schools, have the support they need to encourage students to seek careers in the home building industry.
And with foreign-born workers accounting for roughly 25% of the construction labor force, Gamvroulas said that policymakers should support sensible immigration policies that protect our nation's borders while also providing a pathway for workers to fill this critical labor gap.
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Original text here: https://www.nahb.org/news-and-economics/press-releases/2025/11/nahb-offers-lawmakers-recommendations-on-national-e-verify-system
NABIP Supports the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act to Advance True Healthcare Price Transparency
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (formerly the National Association of Health Underwriters) issued the following news release:
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NABIP Supports the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act to Advance True Healthcare Price Transparency
The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) today announced its strong support for the bipartisan Patients Deserve Price Tags Act (S. 2355 / H.R. 5582), landmark legislation designed to deliver meaningful healthcare price transparency for patients, employers, and the agents and brokers
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (formerly the National Association of Health Underwriters) issued the following news release:
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NABIP Supports the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act to Advance True Healthcare Price Transparency
The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) today announced its strong support for the bipartisan Patients Deserve Price Tags Act (S. 2355 / H.R. 5582), landmark legislation designed to deliver meaningful healthcare price transparency for patients, employers, and the agents and brokerswho guide them.
The bill strengthens enforcement of existing transparency rules and expands them to include hospitals, insurers, labs, imaging centers, and outpatient surgical facilities. It requires the disclosure of all actual prices, including negotiated rates and discounted cash prices, and directs insurers to provide patients with itemized, easy-to-verify bills following care.
"Patients deserve real price tags - not estimates or guesses - so they can make informed decisions about their care," said Jessica Brooks-Woods, CEO of NABIP. "Transparent and accurate cost information empowers patients, supports employers in meeting their fiduciary responsibilities, and allows agents and brokers to protect workers and families from unnecessary costs. This legislation delivers the clarity and accountability Americans deserve."
The legislation also gives employers access to their health claims data through standardized daily transaction files, helping them validate payments, identify waste and abuse, and design higher-value health plans. By shedding light on opaque financial arrangements between third-party administrators, pharmacy benefit managers, and their affiliates, the bill provides essential tools to combat overbilling and fraud.
NABIP commends the bill's sponsors for advancing reforms that strengthen market accountability and elevate the essential role of licensed agents and brokers in helping consumers find more affordable, higher-quality care. As Congress works to reduce healthcare costs, NABIP urges policymakers to keep consumers at the center and uphold the principles that protect patients, support choice, and ensure meaningful access to care--principles reflected in the NABIP Healthcare Bill of Rights.
NABIP also remains steadfast in championing strong price transparency standards that expose and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Clear pricing enables consumers and employers to identify inaccurate charges and hold stakeholders accountable, and NABIP members play a critical role in helping them interpret this information and safeguard healthcare dollars.
We look forward to working with members of Congress to advance these essential protections and help create a healthcare system that genuinely puts people first.
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NABIP is the preeminent organization for health insurance and employee benefits professionals, working diligently to ensure all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare and related benefits. NABIP represents more than 100,000 licensed health insurance agents, brokers, general agents, consultants and benefit professionals through more than 150 chapters.
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Original text here: https://nabip.org/media/10692/press-release-on-price-tranparency_patients-deserve-price-tags-act-251118.pdf
[Category: Insurance]
CCA Commends Introduction of Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Competitive Carriers Association issued the following statement on Nov. 18, 2025, by President and CEO Tim Donovan:
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CCA Commends Introduction of Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act
"CCA commends the introduction of the Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act to help remove barriers to broadband deployment.
Excessive delays, arbitrary fees, and increased costs surrounding broadband deployments around and across rail lines have long presented significant obstacles for CCA members working to close the digital divide in rural and underserved areas.
The
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Competitive Carriers Association issued the following statement on Nov. 18, 2025, by President and CEO Tim Donovan:
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CCA Commends Introduction of Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act
"CCA commends the introduction of the Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act to help remove barriers to broadband deployment.
Excessive delays, arbitrary fees, and increased costs surrounding broadband deployments around and across rail lines have long presented significant obstacles for CCA members working to close the digital divide in rural and underserved areas.
TheRAIL Act brings greater certainty to an otherwise inconsistent process, providing needed reforms to cut through challenges that frustrate the building, expansion, and maintenance of America's mobile and fixed broadband networks.
CCA urges Congress to move this important legislation forward."
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Original text here: https://www.ccamobile.org/cca-commends-introduction-of-broadband-and-telecommunications-rail-act
[Category: Telecommunications]
American Securities Association Statement on the Future of Deposit Insurance
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The American Securities Association issued the following news:
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ASA Statement on the Future of Deposit Insurance
Ahead of a Financial Services Committee hearing on the future of deposit insurance, the American Securities Association (ASA) urged policymakers to promote a fair and level playing field so all financial services companies can compete and expand opportunity for the American people.
"Any reforms to deposit insurance should promote fairness, ensure a level playing field, and limit the subsidy that certain banks enjoy, so all financial services companies
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The American Securities Association issued the following news:
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ASA Statement on the Future of Deposit Insurance
Ahead of a Financial Services Committee hearing on the future of deposit insurance, the American Securities Association (ASA) urged policymakers to promote a fair and level playing field so all financial services companies can compete and expand opportunity for the American people.
"Any reforms to deposit insurance should promote fairness, ensure a level playing field, and limit the subsidy that certain banks enjoy, so all financial services companiescan compete and expand opportunity for America's working families, savers, and retirees," said ASA President and CEO Chris Iacovella. "As the advocacy debate advances, we look forward to partnering with Chairman Hill, Congress, and the Trump administration on this issue."
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The American Securities Association (ASA) represents the retail and institutional capital markets interests of regional financial services firms who provide Main Street businesses with access to capital and advise hardworking Americans how to create and preserve wealth. ASA's mission is to promote trust and confidence among investors, facilitate capital formation, and support efficient and competitively balanced capital markets. This mission advances financial independence, stimulates job creation, and increases prosperity. The ASA has a geographically diverse membership of almost one hundred members that spans the Heartland, Southwest, Southeast, Atlantic, and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States.
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Original text here: https://www.americansecurities.org/post/asa-statement-on-the-future-of-deposit-insurance
[Category: Financial Services]
American Fintech Council Celebrates Capacity Crowd at 2025 Policy Summit and Announces Expanded Plans for 10th Annual Summit Coming in 2026
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The American Fintech Council, an organization that says it promotes a transparent, inclusive, and customer-centric financial system, issued the following news release:
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American Fintech Council (AFC) Celebrates Capacity Crowd at 2025 Policy Summit and Announces Expanded Plans for 10th Annual Summit Coming in 2026
Summit draws esteemed regulators, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to advance responsible financial innovation
Tenth annual Policy Summit poised to be most ambitious and widely attended event yet
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The American Fintech Council (AFC), the
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The American Fintech Council, an organization that says it promotes a transparent, inclusive, and customer-centric financial system, issued the following news release:
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American Fintech Council (AFC) Celebrates Capacity Crowd at 2025 Policy Summit and Announces Expanded Plans for 10th Annual Summit Coming in 2026
Summit draws esteemed regulators, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to advance responsible financial innovation
Tenth annual Policy Summit poised to be most ambitious and widely attended event yet
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The American Fintech Council (AFC), thepremier industry association representing responsible fintech companies and innovative banks, hosted its ninth annual Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. yesterday, convening fintech leaders, policymakers, and prudential regulators to discuss the future of responsible innovation, competition, and consumer empowerment. The event highlighted AFC's leadership on issues including open banking, bank-fintech partnerships, fintech lending, earned wage access, digital assets, and artificial intelligence in financial services.
"The Ninth Annual Policy Summit proved once again that responsible innovation thrives when industry leaders, legislators, and regulators come together with a shared commitment to consumers," said Phil Goldfeder, CEO of the American Fintech Council. "This year's conversations made clear that our financial system is strongest when competition is encouraged, data access is protected, and families have real choices in how they manage their money. As we look ahead to 2026, AFC will continue leading the national conversation to ensure every household has access to safe, transparent, and competitive financial tools - and to push for the regulatory clarity needed to support responsible growth in a rapidly changing economy."
Speakers at the Summit included CEOs, bank and fintech leaders, lawmakers, and key federal regulators participating in a full day of programming centered on building a more inclusive and competitive financial system.
"We need to have a healthy and vibrant financial system," said Jonathan McKernan, Undersecretary of Domestic Finance for the U.S. Department of Treasury, speaking at the 2025 American Fintech Council Policy Summit. "If we're going to have a financial system that not only funds, but embraces and adopts innovation, the bigger picture questions there are ensuring that our regulatory capital framework is tailored to the underlying risks so we can have a financial system that's driven by the fundamentals, by the technologies, by consumer demand, and not by regulatory arbitrage."
"As co-chair of the Financial Literacy and Wealth Creation Caucus, I am trying to educate ourselves, the staff, and the public to understand how fintech is going to make a difference in the work that we do," said Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA), Member of the House Financial Services Committee, during her remarks. "I think spending a few minutes with literally anyone in this room would be extremely beneficial."
AFC also announced the expanded plans for the Tenth Annual Policy Summit to take place at Capital Turnaround in Washington, D.C. on November 17, 2026. The 2026 Summit will be AFC's largest event yet, featuring exclusive discussions about the industry's most pressing issues with policymakers and leaders from the most innovative banks and fintechs.
For more information, to sign up for updates, and to inquire about 2026 speaking opportunities, please visit us here (https://summit.fintechcouncil.org/save-the-date-2026).
"Each year, our Policy Summit provides a crucial space for open dialogue about both the current state and future of the financial services industry," said Ian P. Moloney, Chief Policy Officer at the American Fintech Council. "Continuing to expand and allow more room for discussion provides a crucial opportunity to create regulatory clarity, address industry challenges, and foster transparent, inclusive, consumer-oriented finance."
A standards-based organization, AFC is the premier trade association representing the largest financial technology (Fintech) companies and innovative banks offering embedded finance solutions. AFC's mission is to promote a transparent, inclusive, and customer-centric financial system by supporting responsible innovation in financial services and encouraging sound public policy. AFC members foster competition in consumer finance and pioneer products to better serve underserved consumer segments and geographies.
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Original text here: https://www.fintechcouncil.org/press-releases/american-fintech-council-afc-celebrates-capacity-crowd-at-2025-policy-summit-and-announces-expanded-plans-for-10th-annual-summit-coming-in-2026
[Category: Financial Services]
