ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) announced Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK-02) and Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) as the inaugural recipients of the ACCA Coolest in Congress Award. Congressmen Mullin and Williams were honored at ACCA’s 2022 Conference and Expo, March 28-30 in St. Louis, Missouri.

The ACCA Coolest in Congress Award is granted to members of Congress who have made significant legislative contributions to the HVACR contracting industry. 2022 is the first year ACCA has given the award.

“We are very pleased to be able to present this award to two Members of Congress who are true champions of the industry,” said Chris Czarnecki, ACCA government relations manager. “Congratulations to Representatives Mullin and Williams, this recognition is certainly well-deserved.” 

Before he ran for Congress, Representative Mullin ran Mullin Plumbing, whose services also include HVAC contracting. Since his election in 2012, he has been a voice for the industry in the House of Representatives as well as an ally and partner of ACCA.

As the owner of Roger Williams Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Congressman Williams also knows what it’s like to run a small business. Over the past two years, he’s quickly become an advocate in Congress for issues that affect contractors, such as energy efficiency and workforce development.

In 2020, ACCA worked with Congressman Williams on a bill that made the Section 179D deduction for commercial efficiency improvements permanent. Last June, Congressman Williams joined several ACCA members and other small business owners for a town hall on career and technical education and the importance of a skilled workforce at ACCA member school, Hill College in Cleburne, Texas. He has also joined ACCA for webinars, introduced legislation to make the 25C residential credit permanent, and introduced bills that promote career and technical education.