The Texas Construction News staff writer
WASHINGTON — Program and construction management professionals from across the nation—including a strong delegation of Texas industry advocates—converged on Capitol Hill on April 21 for a record-breaking advocacy event.
Organized by the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA), the legislative “fly-in” stood as the largest grassroots advocacy event in the association’s history. Industry practitioners met directly with congressional lawmakers and federal staffers to underscore the vital role professional construction managers play in completing public infrastructure assets on time, on budget, and within scope.
Key talking points centered on reinforcing the construction workforce, validating professional credentials, and expanding federal support for military veterans transitioning into civilian construction fields. Specifically, CMAA advocates pushed for legislative improvements to make the Department of Defense’s Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) program more consistent across military branches, enabling service members to cleanly apply their technical experience to civilian infrastructure careers.
“CMAA’s 2026 fly-in was a powerful demonstration of our members’ commitment to advocacy, public service, and the future of the program and construction management profession,” said Ethan Lott, Director of Advocacy for CMAA. “Our members brought real-world expertise to conversations about project delivery, professional credentialing, and support for service members and veterans.”
