The National Impact of the Los Angeles Region

by Maria S. Salinas

Last week, the Chamber hosted a delegation of business, civic, elected, academic, and community leaders from the L.A. region in Washington D.C. for our annual federal advocacy trip, Access D.C. We were proud to bring such a diverse delegation to our nation’s capital to discuss topics of great importance to the region and the country. Our delegation had the opportunity to connect with federal stakeholders and decision makers, and I was emboldened by the recognition from our nation’s leaders of the importance of the Los Angeles region to the U.S. economy. 

We were welcomed by California’s U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein, and hosted briefings with cabinet members like Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, and Small Business Administrator Isabella Guzman.  
 
Our advocacy also included meeting with Administration officials like Mitch Landrau, White House Senior Advisor, who discussed the roll out of the American Rescue Plan funding to individual states, and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Polly Trottenberg, who shared her support for our transportation goals as we meet the needs of the future.  
 
Members of our delegation also had the opportunity to do smaller briefings with the offices of the House Majority Leader, House Minority Leader, Vice President Kamala Harris’ office, and members of California’s congressional delegation. Those visits shared a common theme: The economic impact of the Los Angeles region is a significant driver of our national economy, and its health and growth are crucial to the economic success of the nation. 

The Chamber’s leadership, its staff, the Access D.C. delegation, and I were truly inspired from the trip.

Read our daily briefings from the L.A. Area Chamber’s Access D.C. advocacy trip here.

View the official photo gallery here.