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LOBBYING REPORT |
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page
2. Address
| Address1 | 1201 15TH STREET, NW |
Address2 | SUITE 450 |
| City | WASHINGTON |
State | DC |
Zip Code | 20005 |
Country | USA |
3. Principal place of business (if different than line 2)
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5. Senate ID# 27423-12
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6. House ID# 303650000
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| TYPE OF REPORT | 8. Year | 2017 |
Q1 (1/1 - 3/31) | Q2 (4/1 - 6/30) | Q3 (7/1 - 9/30) | Q4 (10/1 - 12/31) |
9. Check if this filing amends a previously filed version of this report
| 10. Check if this is a Termination Report | Termination Date |
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11. No Lobbying Issue Activity |
| INCOME OR EXPENSES - YOU MUST complete either Line 12 or Line 13 | |||||||||
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| 12. Lobbying | 13. Organizations | ||||||||
| INCOME relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period was: | EXPENSE relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period were: | ||||||||
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| Provide a good faith estimate, rounded to the nearest $10,000, of all lobbying related income for the client (including all payments to the registrant by any other entity for lobbying activities on behalf of the client). | 14. REPORTING Check box to indicate expense accounting method. See instructions for description of options. | ||||||||
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Method A.
Reporting amounts using LDA definitions only
Method B. Reporting amounts under section 6033(b)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code Method C. Reporting amounts under section 162(e) of the Internal Revenue Code |
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| Signature | Digitally Signed By: Brad D. Steele |
Date | 7/6/2017 4:17:20 PM |
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code SMB
16. Specific lobbying issues
NCA engaged in discussions regarding potential regulatory action that would remove the Environmental Protection Agency's Waters of the U.S. regulation. That regulation would have caused the club industry to secure permits before using fertilizers and pesticides on golf course greens and fairways. The additional time, money and resources expended to secure those permits would have had a significant impact on smaller clubs' bottom lines. No specific legislation was introduced, but the administration has begun the process of removing this regulation.
NCA also lobbied on behalf of HR 5, the Regulatory Accountability Act, and HR 998, the Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act. HR 5 will help ensure more stakeholder input is provided before regulatory agencies finalize new regulations. HR 998 will enable regulatory agencies to remove rules that no longer apply based on changing times or business environment. Each bill will enable clubs to grow by ensuring the interests of those affected are more adequately considered before the regulation is finalized and by ensuring that antiquated regulatory mandates are removed. Each bill passed the House of Representatives.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Brad |
Steele |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code TAX
16. Specific lobbying issues
NCA engaged in discussions regarding the prospects of tax reform legislation. No specific legislation was introduced but we communicated our hope that any tax reform would lower business tax rates as well as individual tax rates. The combination of those two events would help strengthen the club industry's overall economic health, and provide an opportunity for clubs to hire more employees.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Brad |
Steele |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code HCR
16. Specific lobbying issues
NCA lobbied on behalf of HR 1628, the American Health Care Act, and the Senate's healthcare bill entitled the Better Care Reconciliation Act (no bill number assigned yet). In each bill, the legislative language would remove the Employer Mandate found in the Affordable Care Act. This mandate has placed a significant burden on the club industry while failing to reduce insurance premiums for club employees. HR 1628 has passed the House of Representatives and the Senate bill is still pending.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Brad |
Steele |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code LBR
16. Specific lobbying issues
NCA lobbied on behalf of HR 2004, the Strengthen Employment and Seasonal Opportunities Now Act, and S 792, the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act. Each bill would provide further relief for the club industry as it tries to secure temporary seasonal workers through the H-2B visa program. When American workers are unwilling to take on these seasonal positions, clubs will turn to the H-2B program. Without these workers, they are unable to fully staff their facilities. Each bill is still pending.
NCA also lobbied for the Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality Act (the bill has not yet been introduced in the 115th Congress). This legislation would remove the two different definitions for seasonal staffers currently found in the Affordable Care Act. By so doing, club leaders would better understand who must be counted when determining if their facility has 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees and who is then required to be offered health insurance under the law. This is a technical corrections bill that may not need to be introduced if the American Health Care Act or the Better Care Reconciliation Act passes both chambers and is signed into law.
Finally, NCA is lobbying on behalf of appropriations riders that would remove funding for the enforcement of certain regulations established by the National Labor Relations Board in FY18. These riders would ensure that clubs had the time necessary to prepare for a union election by removing funding for the Ambush Election Rule as well as ensure an appropriate bargaining unit was created before an election is held by removing funding for the Micro-Union Rule.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Brad |
Steele |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
Information Update Page - Complete ONLY where registration information has changed.
20. Client new address
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21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)
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22. New General description of client’s business or activities
LOBBYIST UPDATE
23. Name of each previously reported individual who is no longer expected to act as a lobbyist for the client
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ISSUE UPDATE
24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains
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AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)
Internet Address:
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Principal Place of Business (city and state or country) |
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26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
FOREIGN ENTITIES
27. Add the following foreign entities:
| Name | Address |
Principal place of business (city and state or country) |
Amount of contribution for lobbying activities | Ownership percentage in client | ||||||||||
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28. Name of each previously reported foreign entity that no longer owns, or controls, or is affiliated with the registrant, client or affiliated organization
| 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | 4 | 6 |