Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) held its annual Congressional Fly-In this week, bringing 70 member leaders from across the country to Washington, D.C., to advocate for key policy priorities affecting the HVACR industry. 

Over the course of the two-day event, HARDI members conducted nearly 150 meetings with congressional offices, educating policymakers on the importance of permanent pro-growth tax reform, continued support for the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, and the need to ban installation date-based compliance requirements that disrupt the HVACR supply chain. 

“Our members came to Washington with a clear message: we need smart policies that protect American businesses, support our environmental commitments, and provide market certainty,” said HARDI CEO Talbot Gee. “The level of engagement from our membership this year was outstanding, and it shows how seriously the HVACR distribution industry takes its role in the policymaking process.” 

HARDI has long championed tax policies that encourage investment and growth, and Fly-In attendees urged lawmakers to extend and strengthen provisions like full expensing and permanent deduction for pass-through businesses. Participants also expressed strong industry backing for the AIM Act’s national refrigerant transition framework, while cautioning against a growing number of state-level regulations that continue to cause confusion. HARDI members also urged action to prevent compliance deadlines that use installation dates rather than manufacturing timelines — an issue that has caused significant supply chain uncertainty and increased consumer costs. 

“Our conversations on Capitol Hill made it clear that Congress values hearing directly from industry experts,” said Loran Liu, chairman of HARDI’s board of directors and wholesale distributor. “These meetings allow us to put real faces and local business stories behind the policies being debated.” 

The 2025 Fly-In continues HARDI’s work to ensure HVACR distributors have a strong and unified voice in Washington.