Reps. Salazar and McBride Given ISSA’s 2026 Award for Outstanding Government Service

ISSA is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 ISSA Outstanding Government Service Awards presented during the 2026 International Cleaning Week Awards Dinner in conjunction with the association's Clean Advocacy Summit. The award recipients were selected by ISSA with input from its Government Affairs Advisory Committee.

The recipients of this year's awards are U.S. Representative'sMaria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Sarah McBride (D-DE). "ISSA thanks Representatives Salazar and McBride for their outstanding government service," said ISSA Executive Director Kim Althoff, "On behalf of the more than 11,000 ISSA members, we recognize these Representatives for their support of policy priorities that support the cleaning and facility solutions industry."

"ISSA is proud to recognize Rep. Salazar for her leadership in sponsoring the H.R.3734 - Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act as well as the H.R.4393 - DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025. The cleaning industry is a labor-intensive industry, and we want to thank Rep. Salazar for her leadership in supporting solutions that would provide and streamline legal paths for employers to hire essential workers. Additionally, we want to highlight her strong support of small businesses and our essential workforce," said John Nothdurft, ISSA's Vice President of Government and Public Affairs.

"I'm deeply honored to receive this recognition from ISSA and proud to stand with an industry that plays such a vital role in our nation's daily life," said Rep. Salazar. "Cleaning and facility professionals are essential to keeping our communities safe and our economy running. I will continue to champion bipartisan, commonsense solutions like the Dignity Act to strengthen our workforce and meet critical labor needs, because these workers deserve policies that match the importance of the work they do."

"ISSA is proud to recognize Rep. McBride for her outstanding government service on behalf of the cleaning industry and our frontline workers. Her leadership supporting common sense bipartisan legislation like the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow's Workforce Act, which passed last year is already helping professionals get training and certifications. We also want to thank her for cosponsoring the bipartisan Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) (S. 492, H.R. 1177), which would bring back and enhance this important tax credit which helps cleaning businesses and facilities hire certain workers not currently participating in the workforce" said John Nothdurft, ISSA's Director of Government Affairs.

"I'm honored and moved to have been awarded ISSA's 2026 Outstanding Government Service Award," Rep. McBride said. "Cleaning and facility solutions professionals are essential workers who keep our economy moving and our spaces functional-literally shaping the effectiveness of every single sector. I am particularly honored that this award is reflective of the bipartisanship of this work, and I thank Rep. Salazar for her commitment to supporting working people. Expanding opportunity and strengthening our workforce should never be a partisan issue, it is an American priority," McBride closed. "Thank you to ISSA, the board of directors, government affairs team, and the more than 11,000 members around the world."

Previous Recipients

2025

Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA-11)

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-3)

2024

Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox (R)

U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-7)

2023

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR)

U.S. Representative Grace Meng (D-NY-06)

2022

U.S. Representative Stephanie Murphy (D-FL-07)

U.S. Representative Tom Rice (R-SC-07)

2021

U.S. Representative Darin LaHood (R-IL-18)

U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ)