Hundreds of members of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents from all across the country traveled to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. March 28 and 29, 2007 to take part in the 25th annual Federal Legislative Summit. Representatives from PIANY, PIANJ, PIACT and PIANH participated in the event.

Professional insurance agents told lawmakers that the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act must be extended. They also expressed agents' opposition to all proposals for federal regulation of insurance, including optional federal charters for insurance companies and repeal of the insurance industry's limited antitrust exemption under the McCarran-Ferguson Act. For the second year in a row, PIANH Past President and PIA National Regulatory Affairs Committee Chairman Don Flanders met with Sen. John Sununu (R.-New Hampshire), who plans to reintroduce a bill calling for optional federal charters for insurers.

Reform of the National Flood Insurance Program, creation of a Natural Disaster Catastrophe Program, and continuation of the Crop Insurance Program were other issues discussed during the congressional visits. For more complete coverage of the event, watch for the June edition of the PIA magazine.