ABC’s 2023 Legislative Fly-In
ABC is excited to host our (back to) annual Legislative Fly-In at the US Capitol! Join us in DC as we visit with Members of Congress and their staffs to discuss our 2023 (and beyond) policy priorities. We encourage ABC members to participate in this event – it’s a great opportunity to advocate for your company as well as the biogas industry. Make your voice heard!
Who:
ABC Members like you! ABC’s federal policy team will lead groups of biogas industry leaders to meeting with Members of Congress and their staff in legislative offices on Capitol Hill.
What:
We have requested meetings with senior members of the committees that have jurisdiction over priority policy vehicles like the Farm Bill, as well as oversight of the agencies implementing the tax provisions in the IRA, and over the EPA, USDA, and Department of Energy. We will be meeting with:
- House and Senate Agricultural Committees (various provisions in the Farm Bill)
- House Ways and Means Committee/Senate Finance Committee (tax issues such as the ITC and PTC in the IRA)
- House Energy & Commerce/Senate Environment and Public Works (EPA issues)
When:
All day March 8th and 9th with a welcome reception on the evening of March 7th.
Where:
Scroll down to find more information regarding registration, including airport and lodging details.
Why :
This is our chance to educate, share stories and build relationships with legislators. If we don’t advocate for our industry, no one else will. Passage of the IRA and the pending implementation of the EPA Set Rule provide wonderful opportunities to say thank you and build upon our momentum.
Looking for a better reason? Here’s what members have to say:
“The Fly-Ins are an opportunity to engage directly with policymakers, helping to educate them and shape policy, all while networking and learning from the leaders in the industry, the ABC members!” –Lauren Toretta, CH4 Biogas
“The opportunity to meet directly with our elected officials in the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and their staff, allows us to target the important issues relevant to the biogas industry. Numerous positive outcomes have come from these one-on-one visits including important legislation that has advanced and the opportunity to build relationships with key elected leaders and staff. I was able to capitalize on this networking opportunity by being invited to provide testimony to both the Senate Agriculture Committee and House Agriculture Committee on Farm Bill discussions that ultimately benefited biogas producers.” –Bryan Sievers, Sievers Family Farm
Schedule
Monday, March 6 Add to calendar
2 pm – Zoom Briefing to discuss schedule, lobbying materials and answer questions
Tuesday, March 7 Add to calendar
5 pm to 7 pm – Biogas in DC Reception at The Hyde Speakeasy
Wednesday, March 8 Add to calendar
8 am to 9 am – Meet in the Dirksen Overflow Meeting Room
9 am to 5 pm – Capitol Hill Meetings
Dinner on your own (recommendations below)
Thursday, March 9 Add to calendar
8 am to 9 am – Meet in the Dirksen Overflow Meeting Room
9 am to 5 pm – Capitol Hill Meetings
Meeting Requests have been submitted to a Members who serve on committees with jurisdiction over our priority policy issues, including the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, House Energy and Commerce / Senate Energy and Natural Resources, House Ways and Means / Senate Finance, as well as leadership.
Your Project Information
Please provide us with your current projects and their physical location including city/town and preferably a zip code. Additionally, please include a description of your project (size, cost, number of employees, feedstock, what it does etc.)
This information is exceptionally important as it allows the ABC to ask for the meeting with constituent appeal. It makes it much more tangible for the staff and member and hopefully, will allow us the opportunity to meet with higher caliber staff and/or the Representative or Senator.
Relationship with Congressional Staff
If you already have an existing relationship with your member of Congress or Senator and if you do, how? Have they come to visit your project? Do you actively participate in their efforts to get elected?
Legislative meetings will be scheduled with influential committees and leadership members. Some ABC members already have existing relationships with a local Representative or Senator. If you already have these relationships, please share that information with us because often these Members of Congress sit on the Committees most aligned with our industry. Your constituency could help us secure better meetings.
Travel
Air: Reagan National Airport (DCA) is, by far, the closest airport to D.C.
Hotel/AirBnB/Vrbo: We recommend looking at hotel accommodations near the Capitol since meetings will be focused there. There aren’t many hotels on Capitol Hill, but there are lots of AirBnBs (check out these) and Vrbos (check out these). Search for an entire house/apartment (not a shared room, unless that’s your thing) on Capitol Hill.
Shoes: Please be sure to wear comfortable shoes. We will be walking a lot between meetings!
Tips And Tricks
Legislative days are a marathon so bring anything that supports a long day of talking and walking- water bottles, snacks, band-aids, batteries for phone charging, etc.
Capitol Hill Restaurant Recommendations
Great Restaurants (reservations recommended):
Duck & Peach: https://www.duckandpeachdc.com
Farm to Table
Rose’s Luxury: https://www.rosesluxury.com/
Farm to Table
La Casina DC: https://lacasinadc.com
Italian
Harvest Tide DC: https://harvesttidecapitolhill.com
Steakhouse
Charlie Palmer: https://www.charliepalmersteak.com/locations/washington-dc
Steakhouse
Ambar: https://www.ambarrestaurant.com/capitol-hill-dc/
Eastern European
Sonoma: http://www.sonomadc.com
Italian
Bistro Cacao: https://bistrocacao.com
French
Casual:
Ted’s Bulletin: http://tedsbulletin.com
American diner with a twist
Tunnicliff’s Tavern: https://www.tunnicliffstavern.com
American
Santa Rosa Taqueria: https://www.santarosataqueria.com
Mexican