
Washington D.C. Fly-In
June 9-11, 2025
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 PM – 5 PM
National Economic Council Briefing at the White House – 1650 17th St NW, 20006 – PENDING
Bring your U.S. federal ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.).
Attire: Business Casual                  Closest Metro Stop:
6 PM – 8 PM
Group Dinner at TBD
Attire: Business Casual                 Closest Metro Stop:
Transportation is on your own throughout this day.
8:30 AM Group Transportation Departs The Westin Hotel – Downtown DC
9 AM – 10:30 AM U.S. Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Briefing – Capitol Hill Club
300 First St., SE, 20003
11 AM – 12 PM Briefing at the Embassy of Mexico - 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
Bring your U.S. federal ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.).
12 PM – 1:30 PM Lunch at Founding Farmer’s - 1924 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
2 PM – 5 PM Congressional Leadership Briefing – 200 HVC in U.S. Capitol Visitors Center – First St., SE, 20515
Enter through the Capitol Visitors Center South Entrance Doors.
5:15 PM Group Picture on U.S. Capitol East Steps
6 PM – 8:00 PM Group Dinner with Congressman Sessions
Truluck’s – 700 K St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Attire will be Business Professional throughout this day.
Transportation will be provided throughout this day. The arranged transportation will depart from The Westin at 8:30 a.m. and will be utilized throughout the entirety of the day.
Â
9 AM – 1 PM Congressional and Committee Team Meetings
Attire: Business Professional
Since we will be divided into groups throughout the first half of the day for our Congressional and Committee meetings, transportation and lunch are on your own.
- Closest Metro Station to U.S. House Office Buildings: Capitol South
- Closest Metro Station to U.S. Senate Office Buildings: Union Station
2:15 PM - Group Transportation Departs The Westin Hotel - Downtown DC
3 PM - Briefing at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany - 4645 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington, DC 20007
Please arrive by 2:40 p.m. to allow plenty of time to clear security and bring your U.S. federal ID.
Attire: Business Professional  Â
Places
Speaker Bios
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 Autónoma de México 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
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.
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.
Delegation
Ryan Adams, Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network
Ashley Allison, Waco Foundation
Council Member Andrea Barefield, City of Waco
Korey Boen, Boen Plumbing
Jennifer Boen, STV
Kris Collins, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
Glenn Coward, Capability Source
Leah Cox, Kelly, Realtors
Russell Cox, Kelly, Realtors
Alicia Cruz, Texas State Technical College
Kacey Darnell, Texas State Technical College
Nathan Embry, Kelly, Realtors
Council Member Darius Ewing, City of Waco
Bradley Ford, City of Waco
Frank Graves, McLennan Community College
David Henry, Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP
Jacob Hogan, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
Mayor Jim Holmes, City of Waco
Ryan Holt, City of Waco
Kelly Hyten, Ascension Texas
John Kinnaird, MCAD
Blu Kostelich, City of Waco
Bryan LeMeilleur, City of McGregor
Matt Meadors, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
Kim Meadors, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
Ashley Nystrom, City of Waco
Stephanie Peters, Cargill
Monica Sedelmeier, City of Waco
Andrew Smith, McGregor Economic Development Corp.
Rick Tullis, Cupar Creek LLC.
Jeremy Vickers, Baylor University
Stacey Voigt, Baylor University