For the second year in a row, the AIA Leadership Summit was held in our nation’s capital. The four-day event focused on leadership training and advocacy for both AIA and local chapters of the organization. The meetings held in the heart of Washington, D.C., at the Grand Hyatt Hotel assisted chapter leaders to enhance the potential of their local organizations, create better efficiencies in chapter management and increase membership and revenue. In addition, the event focused on involvement and interaction with national legislators. This year, AIA Wyoming was represented by board members Dale Buckingham, AIA, president; Mitch Blake, AIA, president-elect; and Carl Kohut, AIA, secretary.

The pinnacle event of the Leadership Summit is the opportunity for those who attend to meet with their respective senators and representatives. In our case, all three AIA Wyoming board members were able to able to participate in Hill Day and meet with all three congressional members on Wednesday, Feb. 28, during “Wyoming Wednesday.” Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, as well as Rep. Harriet Hageman, were all in attendance on that warm spring morning. As the three board members engaged in conversations with the Wyoming delegation, the three main legislative topics targeted by AIA were presented and discussed from a national and state of Wyoming perspective:

1. HR 964/S 366 — Democracy in Design: As a result of an executive order by President Donald J. Trump, it created a preference for all federal buildings over $50 million to be designed in the classical style. President Biden revoked the executive order early in his term. Since that time, there has been a bipartisan push to codify the GSA “Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture,” which does not allow a single nationalized style of design but promotes the uniqueness of architecture, creativity and innovation. AIA supports this legislation which encourages architecture that is appropriate for the locale.
2. HR 7074 — Research and Development Tax Amortization: This tax relief legislation easily passed the House of Representatives in January, but at the time of the Leadership Summit, was hung up in the Senate and is still in the U.S. Senate at the time of the writing of this article. The bill provides for the deduction of research and development costs, including those incurred by design firms in the same tax year, instead of amortizing those costs over a five-year period. Other tax issues in the bill include reinstituting the 12.5% low-income housing tax credit and lowering the exemption requirement to allow more building projects to receive the credit. AIA supports the passage of this legislation.
3. Fee Limits for Federal Design and Construction Projects: For years, the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) governing design fees capped Cost Plus contracts at 6%. As a result of several years of advocacy by AIA, including a push at this year’s Leadership Summit, the Department of Defense (DoD) has raised the limit to 10% to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. The increase went into effect Aug. 26, 2024.

In addition to Wyoming Wednesday, where all three members of Wyoming’s legislators were present, those from AIA Wyoming were privileged to meet with staffers from each member of Congress that afternoon. The AIA Wyoming leaders offered our chapter as a resource to the elected officials and their staff to help provide information and insight on design and construction-related topics as they arise. Wyoming is somewhat unique due to the small population base, which gives each of those who live and work here direct access to our members of Congress. The AIA Leadership Summit provides an opportunity that makes it even easier to get acquainted with and converse with those who represent our state in Congress.

After multiple seminars, round table discussions and one-on-one conversations, attendees at the Leadership Summit come away with a clearer understanding of AIA and our objectives as design professionals. While most all architects have a passion for design and good architecture, we also have the opportunity to have a great impact on our communities and those in government who make decisions that affect all of our daily lives. It is a privilege!