Welcome Reception and Capitol Steps Performance
Please join us on Sunday evening for the Welcome Reception at 5:30 p.m. Immediately following the reception, The Capitol Steps return once again to entertain conference attendees. The Capitol Steps are a troupe of congressional staffers-turned-comedians who travel the country satirizing the very people and places that once employed them.
Conference Kickoff
Jim VandeHei, co-founder and executive editor of Politico, is better positioned than virtually anyone else to tell you what is really happening inside the Obama administration and on Capitol Hill. He combines his career as an on-the-beat political reporter with his experience creating an innovative, highly influential political Web site that is helping define political discourse in America. Named the fifth most influential U.S. pundit by the London Telegraph, VandeHei provides audiences with in-depth analysis and a forecast of what’s coming for the nation.
Government Affairs Roundtable Luncheon (Ticketed Event)
Every year NAA brings in nationally known political commentators and analysts who discuss the hot-button policy issues of the day from their “inside the Beltway” perspective. This year’s speaker is former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, one of the first Republicans to crack the Democratic hold on the South. Now a Washington, D.C. lobbyist, Lott is highly recognized for his trademark Southern candor and good-natured enthusiasm about American’s role as a global leader in democracy and free-market capitalism. His speeches provide acute insights into the policy changes likely to emerge from the new political environment.
Advocacy Session: PACs and PAC Fundraising
Raising funds for NAAPAC is critical to the success of NAA’s advocacy efforts. This session focus on different strategies for raising those funds and offers an open forum for affiliates and members to compare notes. A panel of your colleagues will lead the discussion with examples of what has worked for their affiliate. We encourage you to participate in this exchange of ideas for NAAPAC.
Advocacy Session: Grassroots Mobilization
Members of Congress always want to hear from their constituents. This is what makes grassroots advocacy so important to communicating the apartment industry’s message. This session will focus on the importance of educating your elected officials and how to get the point across. An industry expert will lead the discussion and share some of best practices for meeting with your elected officials. This is a great session for newcomers to the Capitol Conference and a great refresher for those who will participate in the Lobby Day on Capitol Hill.
Capitol Hill Issues Briefing
Learn everything you need to know before you convey your messages to your congressional delegation during your visits on Capitol Hill. You will be briefed on all the key issues affecting the apartment industry, and provided with talking points that you can use during your Hill visits as well as “leave-behind” packets to give to your members of Congress. Plenty of time will be set aside to answer all of your questions.
Lobby Day on Capitol Hill
Wednesday, March 16 is reserved for attendees to schedule visits with their members of Congress. Use the information you learn at the Capitol Hill Issues Briefing, roundtables and advocacy sessions to educate your members of Congress on the issues affecting the multifamily housing industry. Attendees are responsible for scheduling their visits.