Next week Greater Spokane Incorporated, in partnership with the Greater Spokane Valley and West Plains Chambers of Commerce, will lead a delegation of 40 business, education and community leaders to Washington DC to advocate on behalf of the Inland Northwest region.
The annual DC fly-in gives area leaders the opportunity to meet with key officials and present policy priorities that are important to the region’s business climate. This year’s advocacy trip delegation will include representatives from local government, manufacturing, healthcare, financial, aerospace, clean tech, agribusiness, transportation and higher education sectors.
The 2015 GSI Federal Legislative Priority Agenda represents a targeted advocacy approach that prioritizes specific legislative goals and allows Greater Spokane Incorporated to present a unified community agenda around the most essential items that have the broadest regional impact. As such, the DC Fly-in delegation has been broken into special-interest groups that will attend sessions at the Capitol and share information with representatives connected with those particular issues.
Meetings with leaders at the Pentagon this year will help ensure that Fairchild Air Force Base remains top of mind.
Scheduled sessions include conversations with:
- Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and staff: (HELP – Healthcare, Education, Labor & Pensions), Energy and Commerce
- Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and staff: Energy, Natural Resources
- Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and staff: Healthcare, Education
- Congressman Denny Heck (D-WA): Export-Import Bank
- Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA): Agribusiness and Environment
- DOT Deputy Secretary Victor Mendez: Transportation
In addition to the advocacy work GSI has done for decades, this year’s trip will incorporate an added emphasis on International Trade. As we fortify our trade efforts to international markets here at home, we will be participating in a roundtable discussion with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in DC. Members from the FICCI roundtable will also join our delegation for a reception at the Embassy of Canada.
Regional Fly-In partners include Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and West Plains Chamber of Commerce. The Grand Reception is sponsored by Asuris Northwest Health, the DC Luncheon is sponsored by University of Washington, and the Mobile App is sponsored by Pearson Packaging Systems.
Follow the trip with hashtags #DCFlyin and #CreateSomethingGreater; read updates on GSI’s Twitter feed (@GreaterSpokane), and read wrap-ups here on the blog.
More of the story:
- DC Fly-In: Day 1 — Healthcare, Ex-Im Bank & International Trade
- Day 2: DC Fly-In – Military Affairs, Business Climate and More On Ex-Im
To coordinate interviews during the DC trip, contact Tricia Webster, GSI’s Marketing and Communications Manager, via text at 509.220.8033 or email at twebster@greaterspokane.org
