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Washington D.C. Fly-In
June 10-12, 2024
Purpose: To engage with national officials and leadership on current issues, and to advocate for policies beneficial to our businesses, community and state.
Important Contact Information
Matt Meadors, mmeadors@wacochamber.com, 254-716-0710
Jacob Hogan, jhogan@wacochamber.com, 817-528-1079
Agenda & Resources
3:45 - 5 p.m. Department of Education Visit – 400 Maryland Ave SW, 20202
Please arrive by 3:15 p.m. to allow enough time to clear security. Bring your U.S. federal ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.).
Attire: Business Casual Closest Metro Stop: Federal Center SW
6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Group Dinner at P.J. Clarke’s – 1600 K St NW, 20006
Attire: Business Casual Closest Metro Stop: Farragut North
Transportation is on your own throughout this day. Dinner is a 15 minute walk from the hotel.
8:30 a.m. Group Transportation Departs The Westin Hotel
9 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Briefing – Capitol Hill Club 300 First St., SE, 20003
11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. National Economic Council Briefing at the White House
Bring your U.S. federal ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.).
12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch at Old Ebbitt Grill – 675 15th St NW, 20005
2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Congressional Leadership Briefing – 201 HVC in U.S. Capitol Visitors Center – First St., SE, 20515
Enter through the Capitol Visitors Center South Entrance Doors.
5:15 p.m. Group Picture on U.S. Capitol East Steps
6 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Group Dinner with Congressman Sessions
Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse – 1101 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 20004
Attire will be Business Professional throughout this day.
Transportation will be provided throughout this day. The arranged transportation will depart from The Westin at 8 a.m. and will be utilized throughout the entirety of the day.
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Congressional and Committee Team Meetings
Attire: Business Professional
Since we will be divided into groups throughout the day for our Congressional & Committee meetings, transportation and meals are on your own.
Closest Metro Station to US House Office Buildings: Capitol South
Closest Metro Station to US Senate Office Buildings: Union Station
7 p.m. Congressional Baseball Game for Charity – Nationals Park
1500 S Capitol St., SE, 20003 (Optional to attend)
Nationals Park requires clear bags for any bag larger than a clutch. More information on this policy and more can be found on the Washington Nationals website.
Attire: Casual Closest Metro Stop: Navy Yard-Ballpar
Places
Speaker Bios
Noah was appointed by President Biden on November 1, 2021, as Senior Advisor, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), U.S. Department of Education. A widely recognized and award-winning higher education policy and governance expert, author, and educator whose experience spans four decades in the nation's capital. Noah previously served 16 years as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). His inaugural book, First in the World: Community Colleges and America's Future, won the 2013 Bellwether Book Award. Noah is a former faculty member for Doctorate in Community College Leadership Program at Ferris State University. Noah has served in many affiliated leadership capacities. He served as a Founding Member of the College Promise Advisory Board and Chair of the Executive Committee. Noah is a past member of the Level Up Advisory Board, Seal of Excelencia Advisory Board, Single Stop USA Advisory Board, and National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship Board of Directors. In addition, Noah has held other appointed positions in and out of government. Noah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an Honorary Associate of Arts from Atlantic Cape Community College in New Jersey.
In 2014, Texans overwhelmingly re-elected Senator John Cornyn to represent them for a third term in the U.S. Senate. Since he was first elected in 2002, Cornyn has earned a national reputation as an articulate and powerful voice for Texas and conservative values in Washington. Cornyn, a San Antonio native, strongly believes that more Texas solutions are needed in Washington.
He has committed himself to strengthening our national defense, securing our borders, repairing our broken immigration system and strengthening the economy by keeping taxes low, reducing federal spending, and fighting job-killing regulations from Washington bureaucrats. Cornyn has also been an advocate for Texas military personnel, veterans and their families, and he has fought to provide these Americans with the best possible support, care and benefits.
In addition to serving on the Senate Finance, Intelligence and Judiciary Committees, Cornyn served in the 114th and 115th Congress as the Majority Whip, a position giving Texas a powerful seat at Congress’ leadership table.
Cornyn has served the people of Texas for the last three decades, first as a district judge and later as a member of the Texas Supreme Court and Texas Attorney General.
In 2012, Ted Cruz was elected as the 34th U.S. Senator from Texas. A passionate fighter for limited government, economic growth and the Constitution, Cruz won a decisive victory in both the Republican primary and the general election, despite having never before been elected to office.
In the Senate, Cruz serves on the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; the Committee on Foreign Relations; the Committee on the Judiciary; the Joint Economic Committee; and the Committee on Rules and Administration.
Before being elected, Cruz received national acclaim as the Solicitor General of Texas, the State’s chief lawyer before the U.S. Supreme Court. Serving under Attorney General Greg Abbott, Cruz was the nation’s youngest Solicitor General, the longest serving Solicitor General in Texas, and the first Hispanic Solicitor General of Texas.
Serving his tenth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Henry Cuellar proudly represents Texas’ 28th congressional district, which includes the cities of Laredo, Rio Grande City, and San Antonio. Congressman Cuellar supports equal opportunity for men and women of all backgrounds. His legislative principles are based on the belief that education, family values and hard work should open doors to new opportunities for all Americans. Congressman Cuellar serves as the only Texas Democrat on the powerful U.S. House Appropriations Committee. He is the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, while also serving on the Defense Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. Congressman Cuellar was named Chief Deputy Whip for the 118th Congress, where he works in a bipartisan manner to serve the American people. As one of eight children born to migrant farm workers in Laredo, Texas, Congressman Cuellar was raised with a passion for education and an unwavering work ethic, as he sought to attain his educational goals. As the most degreed member of Congress, he credits his education with informing his public service to Texas. After earning his associate degree from Laredo Community College Summa Cum Laude, he enrolled in Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Here, while working part-time jobs to accord his graduate degree, the Congressman still managed to graduate Cum Laude, a reflection to his academic commitment. When he returned to Texas, Congressman Cuellar completed a master’s degree in International Trade at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) and earned both a Juris Doctor and Ph.D. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin. Recently, Dr. Cuellar received a Professional Certificate in Budget and Finance from Georgetown University. In 1981, Congressman Cuellar started practicing law and later became a licensed customs broker in 1983 and taught at Laredo State University (TAMIU) as an Adjunct Professor for International Commercial Law from 1984 to 1986. The following year, Congressman Cuellar decided to fully dedicate his life to public service and served as a Texas State Representative, Texas Secretary of State and now as a U.S. Congressman. Dr. Cuellar has been an educator, lawyer and small business owner. Congressman Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, reside in Laredo, Texas with their two daughters, Christy and Catie.
Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz is the first Latina and first Republican to represent the 15th Congressional District of Texas in the United States House of Representatives. In Congress, Monica is fighting to keep the American Dream alive for the next generation of Texans. She is a champion for border security, an economy that works for American families, and improving healthcare access for South Texans. Monica's story is one of perseverance, determination, and the power of faith. The granddaughter of a Mexican farmworker, Monica was raised by her single mother, Norma, in Brownsville. She grew up with a strong commitment to public service, exemplified by her decades of community service. Monica attended the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. After graduation, Monica enrolled at La Universidad Nacional AutĂłnoma de MĂ©xico to study Spanish. For over 20 years, Monica led several successful small businesses in her community, including an insurance agency, which she ran until her election to Congress in 2022. A proud alumna of James Pace High School, Monica is also an active member of her local church. She lives in Edinburg, Texas with her two children
Allison L. Dembeck is the vice president of education and labor advocacy in the Government Affairs Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, focusing on education, labor, and workforce development issues. Before coming to the Chamber in September 2012, Dembeck was the education, labor, pensions, and welfare policy analyst on the Senate Republican Policy Committee—first under the chairmanship of Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and then under the chairmanship of Sen. John Barasso (R-WY). Previously, she spent several years as a legislative assistant for Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), handling education, labor, pension, and child and family issues. She also was manager of government relations for Ceridian Corporation, focusing on pension, health care, and payroll compliance. In addition, Dembeck did two stints with the House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce—the first during former Speaker of the House John Boehner’s (R-OH) tenure as committee chairman and the second under Rep. John Kline (R-MN). She is a former adjunct faculty member of Montgomery College in Maryland. She has an M.A. from The George Washington University and a B.A. from Binghamton University-State University of New York (SUNY).
Curtis Dubay, chief economist in the Economic Policy Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, tracks the condition of the economy, analyzes the impact of public policy on economic growth, and runs the Chamber’s Chief Economists Committee. The committee consists of chief economists from member businesses. It helps the Chamber formulate economic policies and provides analysis to policymakers in Washington, D.C.
Previously, Dubay was senior economist at the American Bankers Association where he worked on tax issues and followed the economic trends affecting the banking industry. Prior to ABA, he was a research fellow in tax and economic policy at The Heritage Foundation. There he researched and published on tax and economic policy issues.
Earlier in his career, Dubay worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in the firm’s transfer pricing division structuring international transactions, and before that at the Tax Foundation where he authored three widely recognized and cited reports: Tax Freedom Day, State-Local Tax Burdens, and The State Business Tax Climate Index.
Dubay has researched and published frequently on a wide range of tax and economic issues. He is regularly quoted by the press and has appeared often in the media, including on CNBC, Fox Business, Fox News, and C-SPAN. He has testified before Congress several times and been cited in newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and Politico.
Dubay received his master’s degree in economics from the University of Connecticut and his bachelor’s degree in economics and leadership studies from the University of Richmond. He resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife and three sons.
Congressman Tony Gonzales is a dedicated patriot with twenty years of military experience. Abandoned by his father at the age of two months, Tony knew he had to work hard to get ahead in life. At the age of 18, he dropped out of high school with one credit left to join the military and provide a path to success for himself and his family. As a career cryptologist in the United States Navy, he rose to the highest enlisted rank of Master Chief Petty Officer for his support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. With multiple deployments to the Middle East and Asia, Tony has firsthand experience about the security challenges that face our country and the international community at large. Harnessing his military background, Tony also served on Capitol Hill as a Department of Defense Legislative Fellow for U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. In his time there, he contributed to the defense, foreign policy, and intelligence portfolios. In 2018, Tony was selected as a National Security Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Tony worked hard to get ahead in life. He understands the value that a good education can provide. Although he had to postpone high school when he joined the Navy, he later earned his high school diploma and continued to pursue higher education. He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from American Public University and is a Ph.D. candidate in International Development at the University of Southern Mississippi. He also holds a graduate certificate in Legislative Studies from Georgetown University, and served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland system, where he taught political science with an emphasis on counterterrorism. Congressman Gonzales is married to his wife Angel and they have six wonderful children.
At the U.S. Department of Education, Catherine serves as a Policy Advisor for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education and previously worked in the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development.
Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Catherine worked as the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Rhode Island's Office of Postsecondary Commissioner and served as the Education Policy Advisor to Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo. In the Governor’s office, she oversaw policies and programming that spanned PK-12, postsecondary, and workforce development, including supporting the state’s COVID response.
Before working in government, Catherine was a classroom teacher in Washington DC and Dorchester Massachusetts. She received her bachelor’s from Brandeis University, Master of Special Education from George Mason University, and Master of Education Policy from Harvard's Graduate School of Education.
Nathaniel Moran was first elected to Congress in November 2022. Prior to his election to Congress, Nathaniel served as Smith County Judge, Tyler Mayor Pro-Tem, and as a member of the Tyler City Council. A native of Whitehouse, Texas, Nathaniel grew up in a single-wide trailer home on a Bible College campus, where he learned from his parents the values of hard work, service to others, and service to God. He knew from an early age that he wanted to commit his life to public service. Guided by his father, Nathaniel closely followed Ronald Reagan’s 1984 bid for re-election as President. To this day, Nathaniel considers himself to be a Reagan Republican whose conservative values were shaped primarily by his father, President Reagan’s service, and by the strong, steady voice of Rush Limbaugh over the talk radio air waves for more than two decades. After graduating from Whitehouse High School, Nathaniel attended the United States Military Academy at West Point for two years before transferring to Texas Tech University, where he ultimately earned a B.A. in Russian Language and Area Studies, an MBA, and a law degree. Professionally, he founded the Nathaniel Moran Law Firm, owned a Remedy Staffing franchise, and was a partner at Ramey & Flock Law Firm. Nathaniel’s education, professional experience, and lessons he learned serving in local government inform his representation in Congress today. He currently sits on the Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, and Education and Workforce committees where he strives every day to represent the East Texas values of faith, family and freedom. Nathaniel has been married to his wife, Kyna, since 1999. Together, they have four children and reside in Whitehouse.
U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions has combined hard work, innovative thinking and common-sense principles to represent the 17th Congressional District of Texas.
After graduating from Southwestern University in 1978, Sessions worked for then-Southwestern Bell Telephone Company for 16 years, retiring as District Manager for Marketing in Dallas. As a businessman, he served as Chairman of the Northeast Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
In 1996, the people of Dallas and the 5th Congressional District sent Congressman Sessions to Washington, D.C. to represent them in the United States House of Representatives. In 2002, Sessions began representing the 32nd Congressional District, created from redistricting. In 2020, the people of the 17th Congressional District called him back to Congress for his 12th term.
Sessions is a stalwart defender of U.S. homeland and national security interests, as well as the men and women who defend them. As the parent of a child with Down syndrome, he is a passionate advocate for people with disabilities. Sessions also believes that taxpayers deserve results from their government, and he has pursued common-sense, market-based reforms to help government operate more efficiently.
Sessions pursues his goals on these and other issues through his work on various Congressional committees and caucuses. He serves as the Chairman of the powerful House Committee on Rules. In 2008 and 2010, he was elected by the House Republican Conference as Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Rep. Veasey is an advocate for Texas' middle-class families and is committed to creating jobs, improving public education, fighting for immigration reform, and ensuring access to quality healthcare and women's reproductive rights. Congressman Veasey was appointed in the 118th Congress to serve on the Energy and Commerce and House Armed Services Committees. Prior to his committee appointment, Rep. Veasey served on the Small Business Committee, and the Committee on Science Space and Technology. Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Veasey founded the first Congressional Voting Rights Caucus to address the immediate need to eliminate the barriers and discrimination too many Americans face at the polls. In the 117th Congress, he accepted his appointment as an Assistant and Regional Whip. In the 118th Congress, the Congressman was appointed to serve as a Whip for the Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce. Rep. Veasey is currently a member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, Congressional Black Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition. He also co-launched the Blue Collar Caucus with Congressman Brendan Boyle to find solutions to problems too many middle-class Americans are facing. The Blue Collar Caucus supports unions and focuses on addressing wage stagnation, offshoring, and job insecurity for those in the manufacturing and building trades. First elected to the Texas State House in 2004, Congressman Veasey represented District 95 – an area now part of the 33rd Congressional District. As a member of the Texas State House, Rep. Veasey served in a number of leadership positions including Democratic Whip and Chair of the Democratic Caucus. Issues he championed included fighting for affordable healthcare, funding for better schools, and advocating for a livable wage. Prior to serving four terms in the Texas House of Representatives, Rep. Veasey worked as a congressional staffer in North Texas for Congressman Martin Frost. The Congressman was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. He and his wife Tonya live in the Metroplex and have a thirteen-year-son, Adam. Rep. Veasey earned a BS from Texas Wesleyan University, where he majored in Mass Communication.
Coming Soon
Delegation
Councilwoman Andrea Barefield, City of Waco
Lisa Blackmon, City of Waco
Jennifer Boen, STV Inc
Korey Boen, Boen Plumbing
Kris Collins, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
Leah Cox, Kelly, Realtors
Alicia Cruz, Texas State Technical College
Alicia Curry, PJC Investments, LCC
Pat Curry, PJC Investments, LCC
Kacey Darnell, Texas State Technical College
Nathan Embry, Kelly, Realtors
Deidra Emerson, City of Waco
Councilman Darius Ewing, City of Waco
Judge Scott M. Felton, McLennan County
Kevin Fletcher, AT&T
Bradley Ford, City of Waco
Jana Hixson, Community Bank & TrustÂ
Jacob Hogan, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
Mayor Jim Holmes, City of Waco
Kelly Hyten, Ascension Texas
John Kinnaird, Community Bank & Trust
Dr. Johnette McKown, McLennan Community College
Kim Meadors, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
Matt Meadors, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
Rochonda Farmer-Neal, Baylor University
Kenneth Nealy, City of Waco
Philip Patterson, Ascension Providence
Councilwoman Alice Rodriguez, City of Waco
Scott Rogers, Alliance Bank
Erin Shank, Attorney
Andrew Smith, McGregor Economic Development Corporation
Rick Tullis, Retired
Jeremy Vickers, Baylor University
Beth Wooten, Texas State Technical College