The Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) released its 2023 National Policy Agenda, in which it calls on the federal government to pursue policy “conducive to sustainable economic growth.” The association also calls attention to energy conservation goals, immigration reform and more.

WDMA officials say they’ve worked with Congress and the White House over the past year to develop “sensible and effective policies” with respect to housing, energy, workforce development and other industry considerations. With respect to energy conservation, the association supports the regulation of residential buildings through national model energy conservation codes, as well as tax incentives for the use of energy-efficient products.

WDMA also supports policies that include energy efficiency as a key consideration and those that base energy conservation targets on “sound science” and “reasonably achievable and durable technologies …,” the agenda says.

Another component addressed in the document includes a “strategic and focused immigration policy.”

“A comprehensive approach to immigration should provide this country with a global competitive advantage and is essential to addressing our immediate and longer-term workforce dynamic,” writes WDMA chairperson Steve Tourek. “It will keep U.S. manufacturers competitive with the rest of the world by expanding the domestic workforce and adding new consumers to the economy.”

The association supports policies that eliminate barriers for retaining the most qualified applicants, while removing per-country limits for employment-based immigrants in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. It also supports reforms that would increase employment-based immigration, simplify the worker-visa process and the creation of a federal electronic employment verification system “that ensures undocumented workers do not displace American workers.”

Regarding housing, WDMA officials say government policies must “promote and preserve the value of homeownership,” through programs and policies that stimulate the industry. Furthermore, the association says any reform to federal housing programs should include a “financial backstop to ensure that 30-year fixed-rate mortgages and reliable mortgage financing remain readily available and affordable.”

Access to raw materials remains a focus for the industry. For this reason, the association supports legislation seeking to clarify the Lacey Act, which prohibits the trading of raw materials, including wood that is illegally taken, transported or sold.

“We look forward to continuing our work with Congress and the White House to develop and implement meaningful policies that set in place the conditions necessary for an expanding economy, a growing workforce, a reduction in unnecessary regulatory barriers for manufacturers, and fortification of the national supply chain for the materials critical to the window, door and skylight industry,” Tourek says.