National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Legislative Conference

Strength in unity is what brings leaders from hundreds of co-ops around the country to Washington, D.C., each April for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Legislative Conference. Electric co-ops reliably power 42 million American homes and businesses across 56 percent of the United States, maintaining nearly half of the nation’s electric distribution lines.

This year, about 50 leaders from Ohio co-ops and our statewide association joined nearly 1,800 colleagues from other states for the two-day conference. URE was represented by Mike Aquillo, CXO/VP member services.

The stakes are always high with energy policy. Federal regulations affect generation and transmission cooperatives’ ability to produce and transport the electricity needed to power the homes and businesses of members of distribution co-ops like URE. Federal policy also directly influences how efficiently and cost effectively co-ops like ours can make system improvements to provide the reliable, affordable energy our members need and expect.

Prior to the legislative conference the government affairs team at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives attempts to schedule appointments with all of Ohio’s congressional offices, regardless of party or whether their districts are served by a co-op. We believe it is important for all Ohio lawmakers to hear the co-op story and the issues impacting reliability and affordability for all Ohioans.  

Mike Aquillo commented, “it’s important that we continue to build relationships with and educate all elected officials and their staffs on the policy issues that impact our co-ops and our members.” Aquillo specifically attended the meetings with Representative Jim Jordan, whose district includes the URE service territory, and Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted.

A few key discussions with reliability and affordability implications included:

• Modernize FEMA Disaster Programs – The Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance (PA) program is the primary source of federal disaster recovery funding for electric co-ops. We are seeking a fix it, don’t nix it approach. We are urging the passing of the FEMA Act of 2025 (HR 4669) that will expedite disaster reimbursements, expand resiliency programs, reimburse for recovery loan interest, limit unreasonable clawbacks, and better account for damage in rural areas.

• Streamline the Federal Permitting Process – Long federal environmental reviews and litigation delay projects, raise costs, and increase risk for electric transmission and generation projects, grid maintenance and reliability work, and wildfire mitigation and vegetation management. We are urging Congress to pass legislation, like the SPEED Act (HR 4776) and PERMIT Act (HR 3898) to expedite federal environmental permitting processes and implement judicial reforms to limit costly lawsuits. Congress should not add additional layers of bureaucratic red tape by subjecting locally controlled and governed electric co-ops to new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulation.

• Increase USDA’s Rural Utilities Service Loan Funding: Since their advent in the 1930s, electric co-ops have been able to use federal loans to build and improve infrastructure. The need for these loans is at a record high as electrification of the economy, building out of data centers, and supply chain tightening drive growth demand for electric infrastructure financing. Co-ops have an impeccable repayment history, with interest, making these loans a win-win situation for the co-ops and the treasury.

Generally, we get a good reception from Ohio’s elected officials when we talk to them. We’re trusted and familiar faces, and our legislators like to hear what’s on the mind of electric co-ops.

We’re grateful for the time and attention Ohio’s elected officials give us and truly value their ongoing support of electric co-ops across the state. Their partnership plays a critical role in helping us provide safe, reliable, and affordable energy to our members. We’re proud to work alongside them on the issues that matter most to the communities we serve.

This annual conference is a great grassroots show of force that reminds legislators of the importance of electric co-ops and constituents in the areas they serve. Co-ops aren’t necessarily the biggest voice in Washington, but when we come together, we amplify our voices for the benefit of our co-ops and our members.