EMA’s annual Washington Conference and Day on the Hill will be held
in Washington, DC from May 13-15 at The
Mayflower Hotel. Our industry continues to have many important
legislative and regulatory issues to discuss and the Day on the Hill
remains the primary focus of this conference for you to meet with your
members of Congress and network with other marketers from across the
country!
Hotel reservations will close April 30 at 6:00pm Eastern or
when the room block is sold out.
Registrations must be received by April 30 to be included in our hotel
guarantee.
| Click here to Register and Book your Hotel Room for EMA’s DC Conference and Day on the Hill |
With Congress in recess and negotiations around Department of Homeland Security at a standstill, day 7 of the current partial government shutdown is beginning to disrupt secondary operations like cyber assessments, grant processing, and law enforcement training. While Congress returns to Washington on February 23, the partial shutdown is expected to continue for at least another week. Instead, attention next week will focus on President Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night. The White House is leading "theoretical" offer exchanges with Congressional Democratic leadership. On February 23rd both the House and Senate are scheduled to return to Washington. This date marks the earliest likely window for a floor vote on any potential compromise.
The Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the repeal of the 2009 "endangerment finding," a landmark determination that greenhouse gas emissions threaten human health and served as the legal foundation for federal climate regulations across the automotive, power, and energy sectors. While President Trump characterized the move as the nation's largest "deregulatory action" intended to save industries over $1 trillion in compliance costs, the decision has triggered warnings of a "patchwork" of conflicting state-level regulations and imminent legal challenges. While many industries welcomed the repeal, large corporations like Ford and Honda, along with the American Petroleum Institute (API), expressed caution or neutrality, favoring a stable national standard over the regulatory uncertainty and potential loss of federal preemption created by the repeal.
House Republicans are currently struggling to resolve a legislative impasse between biofuels supporters and oil interests through the Rural Domestic Energy Council, which was established to draft a proposal permitting year-round E15 fuel sales. Biofuels backers have issued warnings that they will oppose any deal containing provisions favored by mid-size refiners, specifically demanding that lawmakers maintain a 450 million RIN cap for Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) and delay certain regulatory changes until 2028. Meanwhile, independent refiners argue that the current discussion drafts favor large oil companies and could drive smaller domestic operations out of business by increasing compliance costs. The updated tweaked plan would limit exemptions on obligations for small refiners to 550 million RINs per year which is 100 RINs per year higher than the original proposal. Even if the House Council manages to strike a balance between these competing interests, the resulting legislation is expected to face intense opposition from oil-state Republicans in the Senate.
EMA Regulatory Alert Reminder: ANNUAL TIER II
REPORTS COMPLIANCE DEADLINE
EMA Regulatory Counsel Contacts: Jeff Leiter and Jorge Romann
Pursuant Section 312 of the Emergency Preparedness and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), Tier II chemical inventory reports for calendar year 2025 must be filed with the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and local fire department by March 1, 2025.
Since 1987, EPCRA requires covered facilities, including those operated by energy marketers, to report each year on chemicals, including petroleum products, present at the facilities during the previous calendar year in quantities equal to or greater than established threshold quantities (discussed below). The information contained in the Tier II reports is used by state and local governments to respond to emergencies and address risks associated with stored hazardous chemicals.
| Click here to for the Full EMA Regulatory Alert |
EMA PAC Silent Auction: Calling for Auction Items!!!
EMA is reaching out to ask you to donate an item or experience for The Day on the Hill PAC Silent Auction. Please consider helping to grow the EMA PAC so that we can reach and support lawmakers that help you and the entire industry by contributing to the use of your vacation home or an experience for the auction. No value is too low to help generate funds for the EMA PAC during the 2026 Midterm elections.
The auction will take place in conjunction with EMA’s Washington Conference May 13-15. Bidding and raffle purchase will begin April 13 and will close May 15 at 9:00 am. The auction items will be displayed at the Welcome Reception on May 14. Last year, there was tremendous support in contributions for the auction and EMA SBC PAC Co-Chairs Mike Downs and Tim Keigher urge your participation this year as well!
If you have items that you would like to contribute for the Silent Auction, please click here or contact Sabrina Pitcher at 703-351-8000.
Oil prices hit six-month highs after Trump warns Iran of ‘bad things’ if there’s no deal | CNBC
3 big changes are proposed for FEMA. This is what experts really think of them | NPR
EIA Still Sees USA Oil Output Falling Next Year | Rigzone
Republicans worry shutdown will overshadow Trump’s State of the Union | Yahoo!News
U.S. energy chief warns U.S. could quit IEA if agency keeps focus on climate | Reuters
Federated Insurance: It’s Your Life
The Differences Between Cash Value and Cash Surrender
Value
Permanent life insurance policies, such as whole life or universal life, often include two important terms: cash value and cash surrender value.
What is Cash Value?
Cash value is the amount your policy builds over time through premiums and interest. A well-funded policy typically grows a higher value over time. This gives you more flexibility for loans, withdrawals, or future policy adjustments.
Cash value is the portion of your policy you can borrow against. You can also use it for other benefits while the policy remains active.
How Does Cash Value Differ From Cash Surrender Value?
Cash surrender value is the amount you get if you cancel the policy before you receive death benefits. This amount is usually the cash value minus any surrender charges, outstanding loans, and fees.
What are Surrender Charges?
Surrender charges are fees applied when you end your policy early, especially within the first several years. These charges help the insurer recover upfront costs and reduce the payout you receive. Over time, surrender charges often decrease and may eventually disappear.
Essentially:
Cash value is the total savings your policy has accumulated.
Cash surrender value is the amount you receive if you cancel the policy early.
Understanding these terms may assist in managing your policy effectively. This knowledge allows you to make informed decisions about borrowing, surrendering, and maintaining your coverage. Contact your Federated® marketing representative today to start a conversation about policy management to help ensure your coverage aligns with your goals or to discuss this in further detail, please contact your Federated regional representative or EMA’s National Account Executive Jack West at 262.719.7750 for any additional information or risk management questions. Federated is a Partner in EMA’s Board of Directors Council.
At Federated Insurance, It’s Our Business to Protect Yours®
This article is for general information and risk prevention only and should not be considered an offer of insurance or legal, financial, tax, or other expert advice. The recommendations herein may help reduce, but are not guaranteed to eliminate, any or all losses. The information herein may be subject to, and is not a substitute for, any laws or regulations that may apply. This information is current as of its publication date and is subject to change. Some of the services referenced herein are provided by third parties wholly independent of Federated. Federated provides access to these services with the understanding that neither Federated nor its employees provide legal or other expert advice. All products and services not available in all states. Qualified counsel should be sought with questions specific to your circumstances. All rights reserved.
EMA Member Services Spotlight Featuring: National Purchasing
Partners (NPP)
Members Save on Sherwin-Williams
NPP members receive national account contract pricing on
paints, coatings, and supplies. You can also receive free services like
order planning and specification recommendations. Click here to enroll with
NPP and start saving.
Join NPP for free, then register for the Sherwin-Williams discount.
You’ll find a diverse catalog of business offers as well as lifestyle
deals you can share with your employees.
Membership is free and there is no obligation to purchase. NPP is a
member benefit provider of EMA. Restrictions may apply.