As this story from today’s Bee notes, this Spring’s annual trip to Washington DC set an attendance record, sparked in some part we suspect, by the imminent threat of Sacramento flooding, and the need to get the long-simmering discussion around the proper response to that issue, off the ground and into policy implementation mode.
Here is an excerpt.
Capital chamber lobbies in D.C.
Flood projects top list; funds also sought for depot transit center.
By David Whitney -- Bee Washington BureauPublished 2:15 am PDT Tuesday, May 2, 2006
WASHINGTON - More than 400 members of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce descended on Washington on Monday to lobby Congress and the Bush administration on regional needs ranging from flood control and transportation to education and the arts.
Linda Cutler, vice president of GenCorp and chairwoman of the 36th annual Cap-to-Cap - or Capitol to Capitol - said the lobbying trip set a record for attendance - 416 members in 12 policy teams lobbying on 70 separate issues with 230 scheduled appointments.
This year, securing money for flood protection is the chamber's top priority. But Cutler said transportation improvements and cutting regulatory barriers to development remain high priorities.
