AutoCare Insider Volume 105 - 8

Lobbyist f
THE IMPORTANCE OF D.C. FLY-INS
LOBBYING on Capitol Hill,
deemed the "big leagues"
of American politics, is
not as intimidating as
people might think. Yes,
there are a million things
happening on any given day,
from votes to committee
hearings to policy briefings.
Yes, everyone dresses in
conservative business attire.
And yes, well-connected
insiders with deep
pockets tend to receive
preferential treatment.
However, members
of Congress and their
staff will always prioritize
meetings with constituents
- the individuals from
the district or state who
can vote. "What are my
constituents saying?" is
something legislators
always ask their staff
when debating a position
on a particular policy.
"Constituent outreach is
of the upmost importance to
members of Congress," says
one senior Hill staffer. "With

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AUTO CARE INSIDER | VOL. 105

dozens of issues crossing
our desk on a daily basis, we
rely on our constituents to
keep us in tune to the topics
that matter most to them."

"Both your elected
officials and their staff
are appreciative for the
opportunity to meet
you in D.C. You are
not expected to be an
expert regarding policy.
All you have to do is
describe your business,
use the talking points
provided by the Auto
Care Association staff
and you are good to go!
My brother and I believe
that fostering longterm relationships with
our local and national
elected officials is an
important tactic to
supporting our company
and the industry."
- Bobby Segal, CEO,
Automotive Supply
Associates, Inc.

This is why organizations
integrate what's called
grassroots advocacy into
their lobbying efforts.
Empowering thousands of
advocates to contact their
elected officials or, in fact,
bringing them to Washington
for in-person meetings
with those same officials
are grassroots tactics that
truly move the needle.
YOU NEED TO BE HERE
Here is where the
concept of a D.C. fly-in
comes into play. Members,
employees or other
stakeholders travel to
Washington from across
the country with the goal
of delivering a particular
message directly to
Congress. There could be a
new, hot-button issue that
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AutoCare Insider Volume 105
