SMACNA lauds former Portland area Oregon Congresswoman, a champion of registered apprenticeships and quality driven, high road contractors, for her bipartisan and balanced job creating policies and legislation.

SMACNA is urging its members and chapters to contact their United States Senators in support of the nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to serve as our nation’s 30th Secretary of Labor.
We are strongly encouraging SMACNA contractors to take action on the nomination by clicking here to send a message to your Senator(s) urging them to confirm Chavez-DeRomer. (Please login using the email you use for SMACNA business.) If you encounter any difficulty, please email Belen Pifel.
In her role as a Member of Congress, Rep. Chavez-DeRemer effectively served her congressional district with a fair and balanced approach to governing, earning widespread and bipartisan support for her job creating initiatives, ideas and legislation. Prior to joining Congress, Chavez-DeRemer served as the mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon. As mayor, she championed local development and industry-supported programs to expand the Portland area skilled construction workforce. At every level of government she has served, Chavez-DeRemer has strived to connect hopeful, career-oriented workers with construction trades affiliated registered apprenticeships leading to high skilled, well-paying skilled construction trades jobs.
In a letter to the Senate, Stan Kolbe, SMACNA’s Executive Director of Government and Political Affairs made a compelling case for Chavez-DeRemer’s stating that “She has always been a valued and trusted official creating bipartisan solutions endorsed by labor and employers. Solutions that were instrumental in boosting registered apprenticeships and high skilled, well-paying skilled construction opportunities.”
Click here to take a moment to read SMACNA’s letter to the Senate regarding Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination.
Jan 29, 2025 — Member Update
Dec 17, 2025 - Director of Operations at Ernest D. Menold, Inc., discusses how to integrate software solutions into the shop floor and what SMACNA members need to be mindful of when selecting a suite that suits their needs.
Dec 17, 2025 - Project Manager with Western Sheet Metal talks about embracing new technology and emerging best practices within a sheet metal shop and how to successfully leverage data in the shop.
Dec 17, 2025 - For the fourth consecutive year, SMACNA’s Executive Director of Government and Political Affairs recognized by The Hill newspaper.