The Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) recently held its largest fly-in to date, bringing construction and program management professionals from across the country to Capitol Hill to advocate for policies supporting the industry, owners, and the nation’s program and construction management workforce.
During the April 21 event, CMAA advocates met with congressional offices to educate lawmakers and staff on the essential role construction and program management professionals play in delivering projects on time, on budget, and in alignment with owner, taxpayer, and community priorities.
Advocates discussed the value of professional credentials, the importance of strengthening the construction workforce, and opportunities to better support service members and veterans as they pursue civilian credentials. This year’s conversations focused on the Department of Defense’s Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) program, which helps service members access professional credentials. CMAA encouraged lawmakers to explore ways to make the program more consistent across military branches, helping service members apply their experience to both military construction needs and future civilian 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. “As our largest event on Capitol Hill to date, this year’s fly-in speaks to the importance of the issues before Congress and the growing momentum behind CMAA’s advocacy efforts. Our members brought real-world expertise to conversations about project delivery, professional credentialing, and support for service members and veterans, and we are deeply grateful for the time and passion they devoted to this effort.”
The event saw strong participation from CMAA members nationwide, with advocates joining from California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.
For more information about CMAA, visit https://www.cmaanet.org.