Austin Shows Up: Inside the Chamber's 2026 Federal Advocacy Visit
Posted on 06/12/2026 by Austin Chamber of Commerce
Trip Photos Here
From June 2–4, a delegation of Central Texas business, government, and community leaders traveled to Washington, D.C. for the Austin Chamber's annual Federal Advocacy Visit. The trip brought delegates face-to-face with members of Congress, federal agency officials, and national policy experts, all focused on the issues that matter most to our region's future.
Day 1: Arrival & Welcome Dinner
Tuesday Welcome Dinner, sponsored by Wonder
After landing at DCA, delegates gathered at The Wharf for a Welcome Dinner at Officina, featuring cocktails followed by dinner and a keynote program: "State of the Economy: Signals, Stakes & What's Next." The evening's speaker, Curtis Dubay, Chief Economist of the Economic Policy Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, set a compelling tone for the days ahead — examining the economic signals shaping national policy and what they mean for Central Texas businesses.
Day 2: Congressional Briefings, Meetings on the Hill, & Evening Reception
Breakfast Panel sponsored by Hopp
Wednesday morning opened at The Pendry Hotel's Grand Ballroom with a powerful breakfast program: "Securing the Future: Energy & National Security in a New Era." Delegates heard from Jack Overstreet, Executive Director of Cyber, Space & National Security Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Congressional Briefings sponsored by Ascension Seton
Delegates then traveled to the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center for a packed morning of Congressional briefings with the Central Texas delegation.
- Congressman Chip Roy
- Congressman Pete Sessions
- Congressman Greg Casar
These sessions provided direct dialogue on the federal priorities most critical to our region — from infrastructure investment to healthcare and workforce development.
Lunch Programming sponsored by Davis Kaufman PLLC
The group then moved next door for a lunch program featuring Senator John Cornyn. During the luncheon, Austin Chamber Incoming Board Chair, David Jabour, presented the Legislative Champion Award to Senator Cornyn. This award recognizes leaders who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to advancing policies that strengthen our economy and support the Central Texas business community.
Visits to Congressional Offices
After lunch, delegates split into smaller groups for visits to Congressional offices on the Hill, making the case directly for Central Texas priorities from the Austin Chamber's 119th Congress Legislative Agenda.
Evening Reception at The Pendry
The day closed with a cocktail reception at Flora Flora at The Pendry — a chance for delegates to connect, decompress, and reflect on the day's conversations before heading out to explore D.C. on their own.
Day 3: Agency Visits & Policy Discussions
Breakfast Panel sponsored by Philip Morris International
Thursday morning kicked off at The Pendry with a breakfast program on "Building Our Future: Infrastructure & Transportation," moderated by Austin Assistant City Manager Mike Rogers and featured Miles Bolin, Deputy Director of Public Liaison at the Department of Transportation and John Drake, VP of Transportation, Infrastructure & Supply Chain Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Agency Team Visits
Delegates then fanned out across Washington for visits to key federal agencies, including:
- Department of Education
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Commerce / CHIPS
- The White House
- Department of HUD
- Department of Energy
These visits gave delegates direct access to the officials implementing federal programs that affect Central Texas — from CHIPS Act investments to housing and workforce initiatives.
Closing Lunch sponsored by Texas State University
The trip concluded at The Hamilton with a lunch program: "From Access to Opportunity: The Federal Education and Workforce Agenda."Speakers included:
- Sasha Pudelski, Director of Advocacy, AASA, The School Superintendents Association
- Miriam Feldblum, Co-Founder, President & CEO, Presidents' Alliance
- Justin Monk, Director of Student and Institutional Aid Policy, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)
The panel underscored the deep connection between federal education policy and Central Texas' long-term economic competitiveness.
Advocacy in Action
- Transportation & Infrastructure — Full funding for Capital Investment Grants supporting Project Connect & Austin Light Rail; IIJA grant support; discretionary funding for the IH-35 Capital Express "Cap and Stitch" project; and full FAA Airport Improvement Program funding at $5 billion
- Education, Talent & Workforce — Pre-K through K-12 funding, streamlined FAFSA processes, expanded Pell Grants, work-based learning and apprenticeship programs, and meaningful immigration reform
- Economic Development, Innovation & National Security — Full CHIPS Act appropriations, extension of the Section 48D Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit, responsible AI and data center development, and continued T2COM funding
- Trade — Opposition to tariffs that discourage investment, support for USMCA renewal, and maintaining Texas' position as the nation's #1 exporting state
- Healthcare — ERISA preservation, Enhanced Premium Tax Credit extension, lower prescription drug costs, expanded telehealth, and accelerated nursing degree programs
This impactful visit wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors and partners. Thanks to Southwest Airlines for ensuring our delegation got to and from Washington safely and on time.
Quotes from our Delegates
"Sitting down with our congressional leaders and making a direct case for Austin's infrastructure priorities was both humbling and powerful. These conversations matter — and showing up in person sends a clear message that our business community is united and serious about securing the investments our region needs." — Rashed Islam
"Back from a jam-packed couple of days advocating in our nation's capital for the Central Texas region — doing all we can to uplift transportation, infrastructure, business, and of course the tourism economy. Thank you to the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce for putting yet another wonderful event together." — Tina Cannon
"A whirlwind and fulfilling 48 hours in Washington, D.C. — we heard from Texas senators and representatives about what will impact Austin, met with staff and leaders from various departments and agencies, and discussed what Austin is doing with infrastructure, transportation, energy, education, workforce and more. Never been prouder to be part of a group of business, nonprofit and community leaders who are doing impactful and positive work in Austin." — Lia Truitt
Thank you to our sponsors
Flight Sponsor
Congressional Briefings Sponsor
Welcome Dinner Sponsor
Breakfast Sponsors
Lunch Sponsors
App Sponsor
Luggage Tag Sponsor
Orientation Sponsor
Related Categories: Public Policy, Events