Podcasts about congressional relations

Wisconsin Senator Pat Testin from the 24th District was getting his hands dirty when he chatted with Pam Jahnke. As chair of the Senate Agriculture and Revenue Committee, Testin is focused on staying connected to the people that policy impacts. He says one of the major areas that he's focused on is funding for the Agriculture Road Improvement Program(ARIP). Testin says while the governor has been short on funds proposed, the consensus from people he's heard from are that the program needs to be fully funded. Another beautiful day on the way but use caution putting sensitive plants out too early. That's the advice from Stu Muck.Regrouping! The Steffes Group is taking the time farmers are spending in the fields planting to regroup at the office. Last call for auctions or items before the next catalog is published. Pam Jahnke visits with Ashley Huhn. Paid for by Steffes Group.State regulations miles away could ultimately impact the price you pay for groceries. Stephanie Hoff's in Washington, D.C. speaking with Grill from the National Pork Producers Council about the work they're doing to close loopholes that create a patchwork of laws that food processors are supposed to follow. Matt Grill is the Senior Director of Congressional Relations for NPPC and says it all started with Prop 12 in California, and Question 3 in Massachusetts. Paid for by WI Soybean Association.Gov. Tony Evers has reappointed Cindy Brown from Chippewa Valley Bean to the WI Dept. of Ag., Trade and Consumer Protection Board. He also named Andy Hatch from Uplands Cheese in Dodgeville as a new appointee to the board. Pam Jahnke shares their biographies. Foremost Farms USA has also selected Brenda Dehart as their next President and CEO.Warmer weather has many people exercising their green thumb these days, but when it comes to sourcing your seedlings and plants - think local! Charitee Seebecker takes a visit to the busy Sauk Prairie FFA Horticulture Learning Center. Troy Talford, ag instructor in Sauk Prairie, says the greenhouse is a major fundraiser for the chapter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the GovNavigators welcome Nikki Clowers, Managing Director of the Office of Congressional Relations at GAO, to explore the vital role GAO plays in supporting oversight on Capitol Hill. She breaks down the GAO High Risk List—why it matters, how it guides government reform, and what it reveals about agencies in need of transformation. Show NotesGAO: High-Risk ReportTrump's Joint Address to Congress: Key HighlightsEvents on the GovNavigators' RadarMarch 11: The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Hearing: Moving from Recovery to Prevention of Improper Payments and Fraud March 13: FedScoop's Federal Forum March 12: ACT-IAC's Federal Tech Market UpdateMarch 19: ACT-IAC's Emerging Tech Demo Day

What do the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, a sweeping victory for President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, mean for the U.S. Jewish community and Israel? How did the Jewish community vote? What are the top takeaways from the Senate and the House elections? Get caught up on all the latest election data points and analysis in this week's episode, featuring Ron Kampeas, JTA's Washington Bureau Chief and guest hosted by Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC's Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs. AJC is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. AJC neither supports nor opposes candidates for elective office. The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. AJC's Policy Priorities: AJC Congratulates President-Elect Donald J. Trump Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: with Hen Mazzig, Einat Admony, and more. People of the Pod:  The Jewish Vote in Pennsylvania: What You Need to Know Sinwar Eliminated: What Does This Mean for the 101 Hostages Still Held by Hamas? From Doña Gracia to Deborah Lipstadt: What Iconic Jewish Women Can Teach Us Today Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript: Julie Fishman Rayman:  Hello, I'm Julie Fishman Rayman:, AJC's managing director of policy and political affairs. Today, I have the pleasure of guest hosting people of the PA and speaking with Ron Kampeas, JTA's Washington bureau chief, to discuss the results and the implications of the 2024 US presidential election as the nonpartisan global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, AJC congratulates Donald J Trump on his election as the 47th president of the United States and Senator J.D. Vance as vice president. AJC looks forward to working with the president-elect and his administration on the domestic and foreign policy concerns that are AJC advocacy priorities to learn more about our policy priorities for the incoming administration. Head to the link in our show notes as a reminder. AJC is a 501(c)3 non partisan, not for profit organization. AJC neither supports nor opposes candidates for elected office. Ron, welcome to people of the pod. Thank you for being here Ron Kampeas:  Of course. Julie Fishman Rayman:  Well, I'd like to start in asking you if you have a sense about the Jewish vote, because there have been a number of different exit polls, which, I guess, not surprisingly, because exit polls are what they are, say vastly different things. There are some that say it's the biggest Jewish vote in support for a Democratic candidate ever, and then also the highest percentage ever for a Republican candidate. What do we know to be true? And what would you sort of be looking at in terms of, you know, as we're examining this moving forward? What are we looking for? Ron Kampeas:  So first of all, I know I've seen those very extreme assessments as well, and I know what they're based on, and even when what based on what they're based on, and we, I'll talk about that too. That's just not correct. So they're talking about a 79% turnout, according to a poll the consortium of a number of organizations like the CNN and the New York Times. And that poll is not reliable yet. It does show 79% and think 21% in other words, an even split. Nobody seemed to have voted for at least among the Jews for third party candidates. And I'm not sure what number of Jews who were included in that poll were. I mean, it's a vast, vast poll. They do talk to a lot of people, but even they will say, and I think they put it on their things, that it's just preliminary, the more reliable analysis is considered to be the one that came out of the Fox AP analysis that showed 66% 67% for Paris, 32% 31% for Trump. And I think that's what the Trump people are talking about in terms of the highest for Republicans. It's just not the highest for Republican. I think if you count in the margin of error, that's not even like recently the highest for a Republican. Nothing's changed in the last four years. I think what it is showing is that whereas Republicans, when I started at JTA in 2004 they were happy to get 25% they've gone up from 19% with George W Bush in 2020 to 25% with John Kerry a few years later, now they can comfortably say they're getting about 30% of the Jewish community. People love to attach everything that happens to the very current politics of the day. So however you count it, nothing seems to have changed. Julie Fishman Rayman:  So interesting, because for I think a lot of Jews around America, we feel as though so much has changed. But when you go to the voting booth, Jews consistently aren't necessarily thinking just about either Israel or antisemitism, AJC does a survey looking at American Jewish opinion, not every year, but almost every year. And we did it in June, and asked questions about political affiliation. Who are you going to vote for? And one of the things that we asked was, what drives your vote, and foreign policy is always low down on the list. On election night, CNN asked that same question, of course, to all Americans, and I think 4% said that their vote was driven by foreign policy. Has there been a moment where the American Jewish vote is more focused on issues that feel perhaps a bit more parochial. Ron Kampeas:  No, certainly within the Orthodox subset, and it's always difficult to tell, because it's the smaller the subset, the bigger the margin of error. But when there's consistency over time and survey after survey after survey, I think you can conclude that, yes, Orthodox Jews do attach. Of more importance to the US Israel relationship and how it's manifesting, how they're perceiving it. The only time that a Democrat, at least since FDR, I think, a Democrat, didn't receive a majority of the Jewish vote was Jimmy Carter, who, in 1980 got a plurality of the Jewish one, I think, about 45%. People sort of conflate things in their head. In his post presidency, Carter became very identified with being very critical of Israel, and it's true, in 1980 he'd had difficult relationships with Menachem Begin, but he brokered the most important peace treaty in Israeli history. He saved a lot of lives. So I don't think people were feeling bad about Carter in 1980 because of Israel. I like to tell people, Jews are like everybody else. You know it's true that a majority of us vote for Democrats, and there are other subsets where, like a majority vote for Republican more majority for Democrats, but we vote for the same reasons as everybody else. Our votes will get more enthusiastic for a Democrat on one circumstance, just like everybody else's will, or might get less enthusiastic just like everybody else's will. We're susceptible to the same things. Julie Fishman Rayman:  It's really interesting. So at this moment, there's so much Monday morning quarterbacking happening, and I don't want to look too far in the rear view, but I do want to ask you for your take on this question of, would the result have been different had the Vice President selected Shapiro, Governor, Shapiro from Pennsylvania, as her running mate. Ron Kampeas:  Maybe it's hard to say vice presidents have had such a little impact on nominations. But on the other hand, Pennsylvania was close enough, and Shapiro is popular enough that perhaps it might have made the difference. She might have had Pennsylvania, and then if she had Pennsylvania, I don't know, she would have gotten to 270 but you know, Nevada and Arizona are still being counted. They might still go in her column. If they do go in her column, although I don't think they will, I think it looks like they're going to go into Trump's column if Nevada and Arizona go into her column and she missed out on Pennsylvania, you could say that her decision to go with Tim Walz instead of Josh Shapiro was faithful. On the other hand, everybody's a cynic. Nobody actually believes anything anybody says. But I tried to get away from that. I try not to be too much of a cynic. And when Josh Shapiro said afterwards that he had second thoughts about taking other thing because he's he's like a hugely successful governor so far in Pennsylvania is this is two years into his first term. You know, if I'm Josh Shapiro, I'm thinking about my legacy, and I'm thinking about running for president in the future and two years, just, yeah, I'm not going to make an impact in Pennsylvania in just two years. If I'm the 60% governor who can get Republicans to vote for me in the middle of the state, I'm thinking two terms will make me like, well, you know, get me a statue in some building at one point, there's this whole narrative that there was an anti semitic pushback. It was an anti semitic pushback against Shapiro. It was anti-Israel at times. I really believe it did cross over antisemitism. I'm not sure that that had the effect on the Harris campaign in terms of its decision making. She clicked with Tim Wallz. Shapiro wasn't so eager. Shapiro was going to be a co president. Walls wanted to be a vice president. He made that very clear. He had no intentions of ever running for the presidency. So if you're a Harris, do you want to have a Dan Quayle, or do you want to have a Dick Cheney kind of thing? You know as somebody who who's prone to take over, or somebody who's prone to do what needs to be done to be vice president. And obviously she preferred the latter. Julie Fishman Rayman:  It's a great analogy. Can we talk for a minute about sort of Jewish representation in Congress where Israel was on the ballot? What are your perceptions there? Ron Kampeas:  I think that it might have made a difference in Mark 17th, where Mike Lawler defeated Mondair Jones. Mondair Jones was perceived when he first ran into 2020, and he was elected. He was perceived initially as somebody who would be very different from Nita Lowey, who he was replacing because she's a very solid, long time pro-Israel and an AJC board member and an AJC board member. He actually declared before she retired, so he was a little bit confrontational with her, which happens, obviously, I don't know if Israel came up in that equation, though young progressive people thought he'd be a squatter, but he wasn't. In his two years in Congress, he wasn't a member of the squad, and he went out of his way to align with the pro-Israel community, and this because it was so important in his district. But Lawler is just like he's been. He's a freshman, but he's been out front. He's been very good at cultivating the Jewish people in his district. And he's not just led on a number of Israel issues, but he's always made sure to do it in a bipartisan way, partnering with Jared Moskowitz in Florida, or Josh got him or in New Jersey, and you know, that might have helped him in the district. It was a close race. He won by a close margin. So I think maybe that was definitely a factor there. I think that one of the group's decision desk that declares winners just declared for Jackie Rosen in Nevada. She's been reelected, according to them, but we'll wait. We'll see if and when AP calls it. But again, a state with a substantial Jewish population, she is, like, one of the premier Democrats. She's Jewish, but she also is like, very, very upfront about Israel. She co chairs an antisemitism Task Force. She has a bill that would designate a domestic antisemitism coordinator. So in such a close race or such close margins with the Jewish community, that's actually much larger than the margin that might have helped put her over the top. On the other side, you. Know, you have Michigan, which might have also, like we looked at Pennsylvania and Josh Shapiro, Michigan also might have cost Kamala Harris the presidency because of her support for Israel, because, you know, President Trump managed to peel away Muslim American and Arab American voters in in Michigan, in a kind of a weird slate of hand, because he said that he would be more pro their issue than Kamala Harris was, even though he's more pro Netanyahu, definitely than Kamala Harris is. But also, there were third party voters, people who voted for Jill Stein. Julie Fishman Rayman:  Pretty significant numbers for Jill Stein from Michigan. Ron Kampeas:  Pretty significant numbers for Jill Stein. But Elissa Slotkin over the top, very pro Israel, centrist Democrat Jewish. Very much a foreign policy, you know, specialist. She came out of the CIA and the Defense Department. Also very partisan. She was meeting with red constituents, like veterans, and she was doing a good job of it. She had that appeal. And I think that's why she ran for Senate. I think that's where Democrats are excited to have her run for Senate. And then October 7 happened, and she had to navigate a very difficult situation in her state, which has a substantial Jewish community, has an even bigger Muslim American and Arab American community. She had meetings with both leaders. She put out sensitive statements after the meetings. I think one of the most interesting sort of developments with her is that Rashida Tlaib, the Palestinian American Congresswoman attacked Dana Nessel for prosecuting people who were violent were allegedly violent at protests. She put out a statement that, without saying it was because Dana Ness was Jewish, she was said that Dana Nessel had other sort of considerations. When she brought these prosecutions, Dana Nessel outright accused her of antisemitism, and then Rashida Tlaib was the subject of a lot of Islamophobic, anti Palestinian vitriol. And it was interesting because there were two letters that went out at the time from Congress members, one condemning anything that insinuated that Dana Nessel had dual loyalties, or anything like that, and one condemning the anti Islamic rhetoric that Rashida clade faced, and the only person who signed both letters was Alyssa Slotkin. That was interesting. Julie Fishman Rayman:  I want to to turn a little bit if we can, to the expectations for for the next administration, even for the next Congress. When we last spoke, right after the Republican National Convention, JD Vance had been selected as the running mate, and you and I, we talked about what that means for a Trump foreign policy in the next administration. Will it go in a more isolationist direction, more aligning with JD Vance's world view? What do you think now and what might we expect? Ron Kampeas:  But still a potential for sure, there are names being rooted about for Secretary of State. One of them is Rick Grinnell, who's completely a Trumpist, who will do what he wants, his former Acting CIA director. And the other is Marco Rubio, gave one of the best speeches at the convention, I thought, and who is very close to the pro Israel community, who's an internationalist, but who has tailored his rhetoric to be more to make sure he doesn't antagonize Donald Trump. He was, you know, he was a came close to being the vice presidential pick himself. I mean, if Marco Rubio becomes Secretary of State, I think that's a good sign for internationalists. I mean, you know, Israel has kind of a buffer, because the Republican Party is very pro Israel. And there are people like JD Vance says, who say, you know, Israel is the exception when it comes to what I think about pulling United States back from the world, even though he says it's not so much the exception. And then there are people like Marco Rubio who are internationalists. Does Marco Rubio get to run an independent foreign policy? That would be very good news, I think, for for internationalists, if, if Donald Trump doesn't get in his way. But I don't know if that that happens. There's a view of pro israelism that says internationalism is necessary. I always like to say when a pack used to have its policy conferences, and it's a shame it doesn't any more, they would have a little brief talk before on Tuesday morning, before going up to the Hill, they would have, like, some prominent Senator come out and give a rah rah speech, and then like, three officials would come out on the stage Howard core, late Richard Fishman, and Esther Kurz. And Esther Kurz had handled Congressional Relations, and they would talk about the three items they were bringing up the Hill, usually two laws in a letter or a resolution or something like that.  And she would always say, and this was like the one moment like they would sort of reveal this. They'd be very candid about this. You have to push not for assistance for Israel, but foreign assistance generally, because there is no such thing as sort of singling out Israel and saying, Okay, we're going to take care of Israel, but nobody else in the world that it's all it's all interconnected, and it's such a true thing now, because you can say, you know, let's just cut off Ukraine. But if you're cut off Ukraine, you're bolstering Putin. If you're bolstering Putin, you're bolstering somebody who has a substantial and military alliance with Iran, if you're bolstering Iran, that is not good for Israel. And it's like it's kind of circuitous to get there, but it's also very substantive point. I think those are the things the pro Israel community is going to be looking at with genuine concern. Julie Fishman Rayman:  Indeed, it's all about sort of the strength of the American global leadership regime. And when you start to whittle away at one, the overall package ends up being weaker. Speaking of Israel, I can't speak to you this week and not ask you about the news out of Israel, about Netanyahu firing the defense secretary, gallant and what that means. And also, if we can extrapolate, if we can prognosticate what might happen vis a vis Israel in this lame duck session, while we still have Biden as president, but moving through the transition towards a future Trump administration. Ron Kampeas:  Yeah, you know, there a lot of Israelis are actually worried about that. Like, Oh, Biden's gonna take his frustrations out on VB in the lame duck doesn't have anything stopping him. I don't think that's going to happen. I think what's interesting is, like, you had a couple of instances in American history where a lame duck president used the fact that he didn't care, you know, what anybody thought of him, to push something through in 1988 Ronald Reagan recognized the PLO because it's something George H W Bush wanted him to do. George H W Bush wanted to push like more Israel Palestinian peace he did with the Madrid Conference, but he didn't want to be the one to invite the PLO into the room, so he got Ronald Reagan to do it in his last two months in office. In 2016 Barack Obama allowed through a Security Council resolution of that condemned the settlements. The United States didn't vote for it, but it also didn't veto it. That really kind of shook Israel up. But was interesting. I've done the reporting on this. When he was taking advice, Should I, should we vote for the resolution? Should we veto it, or should we just allow it through? There were people voicing opinions on all sides. Joe Biden and Jack Lew, who was then the Treasury Secretary, is now the ambassador to Israel, both said, veto it. Don't let it through. Don't let it through because, partly because it's going to really upset our Jewish supporters. If you let it through, you're not going to be president anymore, but somebody in the room is going to probably try and be president. I think that Joe Biden still has that sense of responsibility. I could be wrong. You know, four years or a year of like, from his perspective, being very strongly supportive of Israel and not getting anything back. From Bibi, from his perspective, might have changed his mind. Something might occur now. But the question is, like, you can tell Israel if they hit anything, but if they hit, if they hit anything, if they elevate it at all, they're going to need US assistance. And Trump hasn't said he's going to give that. Biden has. Biden's proven he's going to give it. So you've got two months of a president who will, who will back up Israel with American might, and then you have a president who has isolationist tendencies and who doesn't want to get involved with wars for another four years. Julie Fishman Rayman:  Is there anything else that you're hearing, perhaps, from the Israeli perspective, about Gallant departure, and what that signal? Ron Kampeas:  I think, that Netanyahu, you know, he's just trying to keep his government intact. Gallant is very vocal in opposing or in supporting drafting the ultra orthodox the Haredi orthodox Netanyahu government relies on Haredi orthodox parties. So there's that he's also facing a kind of spy scandal from his own circle. Just a weird, weird story. Somebody who's in his circle is alleged to have tried to help Netanyahu politically by leaking highly classified documents and altering them as well to foreign news outlets. The allegation is that whatever the guy's motivation was, he's actually put Israel at risk. So Netanyahu is suddenly in a position of facing allegations that he put Israel at risk. Now he's faced a lot of scandals in his time. Israelis have a high level of tolerance for people who are alleged to have skimmed off the top, alleged to have helped themselves, and that's what the scandals are about. They have no tolerance for anybody who puts Israel's security at risk. So if this comes back to Netanyahu that could be more damage than than any other scandal that he's endured so far and so notably, I think, you know, when he was firing Galant, he said he accused Galant of leaking information, although, I mean, what he was seemed to be referring to was Galant didn't leak anything. Galant openly said that he disagreed with Netanyahu on certain tactics, and that, you know Netanyahu is casting is putting Israel at risk, which is not to say that Netanyahu is necessarily going to be implicated by the scandal, but it's certainly not of a piece with leaking, actually classified documents that reveal methods and sources can put Israel's intelligence gathering methods at risk. Julie Fishman Rayman:  As always, there's so much more to the story, right? Ron Kampeas:  Yeah, yeah. There always is. Julie Fishman Rayman:  Ron, we could probably talk for a very long time about the American elections and what's going on in Israel and the degrees of various scandals and how populations will take them, and what the future of our country in the region looks like. But I know that you're very busy, especially this week, and I just want to say how grateful we are they always make time for AJC and for people of the pod. Ron Kampeas:  Of course.

Voting is a powerful way to influence the policies that impact your life. By participating in elections and advocating for change, you can help shape the future. Dr. Jesse Roach, NKF's Senior Vice President of Government Relations, and Lauren Drew, NKF's Congressional Relations Director, explain why your vote matters and how to get involved.   Dr. Jesse Roach is a strategist and clinician whose work focuses on improving access to kidney health by removing barriers to care through policy, partnerships, and research. He is currently the Senior Vice President for Government Relations at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), where he leads the NKF's advocacy efforts. Dr. Roach received his medical degree and completed a residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed a combined fellowship in pediatric and adult nephrology at the University of Michigan Medical School. He resides in Washington, DC. Lauren Drew is the Director of Congressional Relations at NKF, and formerly worked at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and on Capitol Hill. She's original from New Jersey and an alumna of the George Washington University and the Villanova School of Law.    Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

In an escalation of rhetoric that is raising the temperature in the broader region, the last few days have seen Turkey's President Erdogan threaten to intervene in Israel on behalf of the Palestinians, noting military interventions Turkey has made in the past in other countries. These statements came about a week after reports that Israel had foiled a major terrorist attack orchestrated from Hamas operatives in Turkey. Thanos Davelis spoke with Tyler Stapleton and Sinan Ciddi last week about this development - which once again puts Turkey's support for Hamas in the spotlight - and explored what steps Washington and NATO can take to address Ankara's enabling of Hamas.Tyler Stapleton is the Director of Congressional Relations at FDD Action, and has served as a senior advisor on national security, foreign policy, defense, and intelligence for members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDD's Turkey Program and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP).You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Israel Foils Hamas Terror Attack Directed by TurkeyTurkey's President Threatens Military Action Against IsraelTurkey threatens to ‘enter' Israel to protect PalestiniansTurkey delisting exposes financial watchdog's blind spotWindow opens for Parthenon Sculptures' returnGreece's Santorini bursts with tourists as locals call for a cap

South Africa has been in the news lately. Most recently, it had elections. There's also this: The government of South Africa has filed a lawsuit under the Genocide Convention to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.The indictment is not against Hamas whose terrorists invaded Israel and massacred more than a thousand men, women, and children last October, and which vows to repeat such massacres. Nor is it against Hamas' patrons in Tehran who openly vow to exterminate Israel and Israelis, and are using multiple proxies in pursuit of that goal.No, the South African lawsuit is against Israel, the world's one and only Jewish-majority state.To understand the motivations behind this blood libel, host Cliff May is joined by Dr. Frans Cronje, former CEO of the South African Institute of Race Relations, and current chair of the Social Research Foundation, who described the South African lawsuit as a significant contribution to the “ideas war” being waged by Iran's jihadist rulers. Also joining the conversation is Connor Pfeiffer, Director of Congressional Relations at FDD Action. They also discuss how South Africa has evolved since the end of apartheid and its possible future trajectory.

South Africa has been in the news lately. Most recently, it had elections. There's also this: The government of South Africa has filed a lawsuit under the Genocide Convention to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.The indictment is not against Hamas whose terrorists invaded Israel and massacred more than a thousand men, women, and children last October, and which vows to repeat such massacres. Nor is it against Hamas' patrons in Tehran who openly vow to exterminate Israel and Israelis, and are using multiple proxies in pursuit of that goal.No, the South African lawsuit is against Israel, the world's one and only Jewish-majority state.To understand the motivations behind this blood libel, host Cliff May is joined by Dr. Frans Cronje, former CEO of the South African Institute of Race Relations, and current chair of the Social Research Foundation, who described the South African lawsuit as a significant contribution to the “ideas war” being waged by Iran's jihadist rulers. Also joining the conversation is Connor Pfeiffer, Director of Congressional Relations at FDD Action. They also discuss how South Africa has evolved since the end of apartheid and its possible future trajectory.

Guest Michael McQuerry shares extensive experience in communications and legislative roles as a lobbyist & Congressional Relations Specialist for various organizations.Michael McQuerry is a current Capitol Hill Communications Director for Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett and has over 20 years of communications and legislative experience. He has worked for four Members of Congress. He has also worked at the Department of Transportation and also as a Lobbyist here in Washington, DC over the past 20 years. Michael graduated from Jackson State University (Jackson, MS) in May 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. As the Senior Legislative Assistant for Congresswoman Barbara Rose Collins of Michigan he primarily handled postal, education, transportation, children, veteran's affairs, judiciary, immigration and crime issues. He then worked for Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas. As her Senior Legislative Assistant. Michael contacted and conferred with Members of Congress and staff, and other holders of public office, in reference to legislation favorable to client's interest as a lobbyist for Holland and Knight, LLP. Later Michael focused on lobbying for the Association of American Railroads (AAR) as their Manager of Congressional Affairs. Michael then began working for the U.S. Department of Transportation (FTA) as a Congressional Relations Specialist where he prepared Op-Ed's, press releases, speeches, newsletters and talking points for the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. He then went on to work for as the Communications Director for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas. Michael then served as the Special Assistant to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer for the United States House of Representatives. Michael then returned to the Office of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas as the Senior Advisor and Communications Director. In October of 2016 Michael went to work for Make Room as Director of Advocacy Communications. Michael currently works for Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett as her Communications Director. Michael is one of the co-host of one of he most exciting Podcast out there – Hip-Politics – which is a discussion/fusion of hip hop and politics in America.Main Takeaways:00:00:06 Podcast focuses on executive career advancement.00:08:26 Access and relationships are crucial.00:10:25 DC is a competitive and transient city.00:15:02 Political theater is scripted and strategic.00:21:33 Importance of effective communication.00:24:24 Hire young, tech-savvy communicators.00:32:22 Take time to slow down.00:34:21 Lobbyists have multiple interests.00:41:48 Take chances and seek advice.Purchase your copy of "Relationships that Work" on Amazon today at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CD2KJX17?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

In this episode of Need to Know, Deputy Director of Congressional Relations, Erin Jarnagin, provides an overview of the 2023 Farm Bill. She explains what's covered by the bill, how much we should expect it to change from last time around, and what impact the Russian invasion of Ukraine may have on the legislation. Erin also provides thought on the process and timeline for passage. 

In this episode, we discuss major federal banking issues on the docket in Washington D.C. with Kirsten Sutton, ABA EVP of Congressional Relations and Legislative Affairs. New to the role, Kirsten offers insightful perspective on CFPB based on her experiences as Chief of Staff to prior CFPB Director Mick Mulvaney. She also discusses the likelihood of SAFE banking passage, credit union field of membership expansion legislation (now through the House Financial Services Committee) and efforts to expand Durbin to credit. 

Matt Kaye reports on reducing trade tariffs, with commentary from AFBF Senior Director of Congressional Relations with Dave Solmonson. Illinois Director of Agriculture Jerry Costello talks about May, Mental Health Month and promotes the Farmer Mental Health Resource hotline. Mike Zuzolo, Global Commodity Analytics, talking WASDE and domestic use of biofuels boosting the markets. Rob Wiegand, Trails End Smokehouse in Goodfield, talks Pig Wings and keeping prices in line with food inflation. Early morning markets and weather.

Rita Frazer sits down with Blake Roderick, Pike-Scott Farm Bureau Manager, who retired on May 2 after 40 years. We then hear from Jill Hardesty, President of Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs. Jim Taylor visits with Andrew Walmsley, Senior Director of Congressional Relations, American Farm Bureau Federation on initial talks of the Farm Bill. The show wraps up with a salute to Moms.

What started as an unprecedented meeting between members of American Farm Bureau and America's cattle organizations has turned into meaningful legislation that is looking to dramatically change how cattle are marketed. These changes would give more transparency to the process and more income for the farmer. On this week's Our Ohio Weekly, we talk about the issues involving cattle marketing and what is being done in Washington D.C. to give livestock producers a more fair market in the future. 00:00 - Scott Bennett, American Farm Bureau's Director of Congressional Relations and Brandon Kern, senior director of state and national policy for Ohio Farm Bureau discuss the current challenges farmers are dealing with when it comes to cattle marketing across the country. 16:50 - Bennett and Kern talk about what possible changes to the Packers and Stockyards Act would mean for the livestock industry. 23:50 - “To the Beat of Agriculture”, hear from the outstanding winner of an important award from the National Association of Agricultural Educators. Stephanie Jolliff shares her passion for ag education and her motivations after 26 years of teaching. 32:20 - Dr. Juan Leon, Chief of the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Division of Meat Inspection talks about the uptick in direct-to-consumer sales and how his team has adjusted to the shift in demand. 42:20 - Dr. Leon talks about the funding coming from the state and federal governments to help small and medium sized meat processors expand their to benefit local farmers and consumers.

As most of you are aware, there is a great deal of discussion in the national arena around the proposed IRS Reporting Guidelines. Given it's potential impact to the community banking industry and the community's we serve, it's important that we educate ourselves as to what is going on and what we can do to help. Paul Merski is the EVP for Congressional Relations at the ICBA and he (along with the rest of the ICBA's leadership) has been at the head of the industry's efforts to combat this proposal. To get involved, go to https://www.icba.org/bank-locally/consumer-alert-from-icba and share that site with your community so that your congressional representatives know your position. As always, many thanks as well to our sponsor ICBA Securities. Check them out at https://www.icba.org/icba-securities

Part 2 of our Fall 2021 series on the American Presidency, which aired live at 11am ET on Saturday, 11 SEP 21. This 75-minute webinar featured a discussion between scholars about the relationship between Congress and the President. Scholars: Dr. Chris Burkett, Ashland University Dr. David Alvis, Wofford College Dr. Joe Postell, Hillsdale College Suggested Readings: Federalist 51, 1788 On the Source of Executive Power, 1913, 1916 FDR's First Inaugural, 1933 Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v Sawyer, 1952

Part 2 of our Fall 2021 series on the American Presidency, which aired live at 11am ET on Saturday, 11 SEP 21. This 75-minute webinar featured a discussion between scholars about the relationship between Congress and the President. Scholars: Dr. Chris Burkett, Ashland University Dr. David Alvis, Wofford College Dr. Joe Postell, Hillsdale College Suggested Readings: Federalist 51, 1788 On the Source of Executive Power, 1913, 1916 FDR's First Inaugural, 1933 Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v Sawyer, 1952

In this episode, we discuss the SAFE Banking Act which passed the US House of Representatives on April 19. This bill would allow banks to provide financial services to cannabis businesses or cannabis related businesses, something that is currently a point of contention due to conflict between state and federal drug classifications. Interestingly, this bill bypassed the Financial Services Subcommittee and moved straight to the floor of the House where it quickly passed with wide bipartisan support. James Ballentine, EVP of Congressional Relations and Political Affairs for the American Bankers Association, joined us for a discussion focusing on why and how this legislation moved so quickly and what to expect as it begins its journey in the Senate.

AFBF's  Director of Congressional Relations Andrew Walmsley says the climate policy debate is center stage in Washington.

Tim Van Horn discusses the media's framing of recent anti-Asian American violence with Scott Zipperle, program associate for Congressional Relations at The Heritage Foundation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AICPA Town Hall Series provides the latest news and updates on pressing issues facing the accounting profession. Presenters: Erik Asgeirsson, President & CEO, CPA.com Daniel Martini, VP, Congressional Relations, American Bankers Association Dixie McCurley, President & Co-Founder Carl Peterson, CPA, VP, Small Firms, AICPA Lisa Simpson, CPA, CGMA, VP, Firm Services, AICPA Topics: Lender Update Discussion with the ABA Latest Updates & Recommendations Firm Strategies Key Insights: Daniel Martini, the American Banking Association's vice president of congressional relations, discusses lender activity and SBA system integration issues surrounding the latest Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application round. Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com, and Lisa Simpson, the AICPA's vice president of firm services, gives the latest updates on PPP developments. Carl Peterson, the AICPA's vice president of small firm interests, and Dixie McCurley, principal and co-founder of Trusted CFO Solutions, talk about the view from the ground and the extensive “layering of work” for firms assisting small businesses on PPP, the Employee Retention Credit and upcoming tax matters.

Kristina Watson talks with Andrew Walmsley, Director of Congressional Relations for American Farm Bureau Federation about the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) and what recommendations can be expected to help shape climate policy. (Recorded December, 2020) The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) was formed in February 2020 by four groups that now co-chair the alliance: American Farm Bureau Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, and National Farmers Union.

Martin Martinez is a Congressional Relations Officer on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. He tells me what his position is about and how he got there. Like & Review! Would you like me to create an informational interview for you? Let me know at Hello@WorkUniversity.org.

Andrew Walmsley, Director of Congressional Relations at AFBF, joins the podcast to talk about the HAULS Act. Andrew gives us some details about the act, industry feedback and what the next step for the legislation looks like.

On this episode, Scott Bennett, Director of Congressional Relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation, talks about the work of the Cattle Market Working Group. Joe Vaclavik, President and Founder of Standard Grain in Nashville, Tennessee, recaps the USDA Grain Stocks and Small Grains reports, Ray Bohacz presents another episode of “Bushels and Cents,” and we hear the music of traditional country music star Ray Scott.

She's an association management executive with a passion for engagement, whether grassroots advocacy or the development and advancement of regional chapter affiliates both domestically and internationally. In the last two decades, she has served as a Political Affairs Manager, a Director of Congressional Relations, a Senior Director of Chapter Support Services, the Director of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), and most recently as the Chief Global Member Engagement Officer. Working with members and chapters in more than 125 countries, she's driven to promote membership policies and benefits, design strategies to retain and recruit members, oversee foundations, chapters, councils, and association government affairs efforts. With a unique background in advocacy and activism, membership, and stakeholder relations, as well as association management operations, her diverse expertise makes her a valuable partner and advisor to global non-profit clients. A native of Sacramento, California, she received her undergraduate degrees in Political Science and English Literature from the University of California, at Davis and a Master of Arts in Government with honors from Johns Hopkins University. She is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) by the America Society of Association Executives (ASAE), considered the highest level of professional competency in association management and serves to elevate professional standards. Join me on this episode of the Curve Benders podcast with Elisa Pratt. Separately, I'm excited to announce the launch of PM Next, with longtime friend and colleague, Jennifer Bridges. Check out at https://www.pdus2go.com/pm-next. Lastly, don't forget, I turn the show notes from these podcasts into more in-depth articles, so check them out in our Free, Member-Based community, Nour Forum. Join us at NourGroup.com/Forum. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/david-nour/message

It was just the girls today! Delaney and Ashtyn sit down with Scott Bennett, Director of Congressional Relations at American Farm Bureau, to talk about the USDA cattle market investigation and report.

Here's your Monday, July 6 Farm and Ranch news with KC Sheperd on RON. This morning- KC Sheperd Talks about The Paycheck Protection Program with RJ Karney, Director of Congressional Relations with the American Farm Bureau Federation.

This episode, we hear from ASAE President & CEO Susan Robertson, CAE, Pat Blake, FASAE, CAE, CEO of the Heart Rhythm Society and Steve Caldeira, President and CEO of the Household & Commercial Products Association, Angel M. Royal, PhD, Chief of Staff, American Association of Community Colleges, and Margarita L. Valdez, Assistant Director of Congressional Relations, American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) about their associations’ work related to COVID-19. We learn about the association community’s efforts to keep America healthy and safe, as well as re-open and recover. Plus, we share another Great Moment in Association History.

Discussion on Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Guest Speakers: Daniel Martini, VP of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs, American Bankers Association Corey Griffin, Chairman, Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce Contributors: John Falcicchio, Acting Deputy Mayor, DMPED Kristi Whitfield, Director, DSLBD Director Kristi Whitfield Kenyan McDuffie, Ward 5 Councilmember Presentation here: https://bit.ly/2VUDvj8

ARTBA Newsline Podcast: 2019 Election Results and Analysis of Impact on Transportation On Tuesday, November 6, voters demonstrated their support for transportation investment by approving almost 90 percent of more than 300 transportation-focused ballot measures. ARTBA Vice President of Public Affairs John Schneidawind discussed the meaning of the results with ARTBA’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center Director Carolyn Kramer. Dean Franks, ARTBA’s Senior Vice President of Congressional Relations, also joined us to lay out the next steps in the Senate for passing a highway bill. Check out the Center's new interactive data dashboard to put the results of the election at your fingertips.  Control how you want to see the data with dynamic visuals, filters, and customization. The Newsline Podcast is also available on iTunes. Subscribe below so you never miss the latest news and interviews. ### Background music from https://filmmusic.io: "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com), Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

ARTBA Newsline Podcast: 2019 Election Results and Analysis of Impact on Transportation On Tuesday, November 6, voters demonstrated their support for transportation investment by approving almost 90 percent of more than 300 transportation-focused ballot measures. ARTBA Vice President of Public Affairs John Schneidawind discussed the meaning of the results with ARTBA’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center Director Carolyn Kramer. Dean Franks, ARTBA’s Senior Vice President of Congressional Relations, also joined us to lay out the next steps in the Senate for passing a highway bill. Check out the Center's new interactive data dashboard to put the results of the election at your fingertips.  Control how you want to see the data with dynamic visuals, filters, and customization. The Newsline Podcast is also available on iTunes. Subscribe below so you never miss the latest news and interviews. ### Background music from https://filmmusic.io: "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com), Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

They are not clubbing one another over the head yet with canes, but interparty relations on Capitol Hill seem to be worsening by the day. For federal agency managers the question is, "What about that continuing resolution?" For a look at the possibly dreary week ahead Bloomberg Government Editorial Director Loren Duggan joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Law schools like to tell students they can do anything with a law degree, but can they? Many head to law school and think that it’s still a valuable education for all sorts of future career opportunities, but is it? Facing sky-high tuition and a tight job market, it’s never too early to think about the type of career you’re planning and whether a law degree really fits your career goals. We talk to law grads with diverse careers, who aren’t practicing law, about whether and how they use their legal training in their work. A lead admissions consultant shares school selection strategies that will help you answer these questions. Guests: Janice Johnston, Coordinating Producer, ABC NewsMagazines and Specials Raquiba LaBrie, Director, The Equality and Opportunity Fund, The Open Society Foundations Bernard Fulton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations, Department of Housing and Urban Development Andrea Kilpatrick, Founder/President, Cool Kids Learn & Director of Law Admissions, Admit Advantage Wendy Siegel, Director of Recruitment and Marketing, Office of Career Services, NYU School of Law

On Episode 15 of Fastline Fast Track, R.J. Karney, the Director of Congressional Relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation, talks about Farm Bureau's efforts to persuade Congress to allocate resources for rural broadband initiatives. Also, Indiana-based picker Joe Poe talks about the red-hot farm collectibles market and we feature music from The Bennett Hall Band, from the legendary Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville, Tennessee. 

  Scott Bennett is the Director of Congressional Relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation, an independent, voluntary, non-government group that is headed by people who represent the best interests of farmers and their families in the US. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and Political Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Before joining the American Farm Bureau Federation, he was the legislative director for Rep. Bob Goodlatte, a House Agriculture Committee Senior member.   Scott joins me today to discuss the developments on lab-grown protein products and their potential benefits to the economy. He explains some of the political aspects of agriculture, particularly on its relationship with government entities. He also describes the differences between plant-based and lab-based proteins and shares his views for the future of lab-grown proteins as well as advice to those who want to support this idea.     “Five years ago, lab-grown protein was science fiction, but here we are faced with it today. It is the reality.” - Scott Bennett       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The significance of having a primary jurisdiction with USDA. Policy differences between gene-edited livestock and cell-based meats. His thoughts on the recent press release from the FDA. Plant-based and lab-grown proteins and their key labeling differences. How he sees this technology developing in five years. Getting involved in the local government to pass the necessary laws for agtech. How the public perceives lab-grown protein. The biggest issues facing the current agricultural innovation landscape.       Connect with Scott Bennett   American Farm Bureau Federation LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Allen Erenbaum is the President of the Consumer Health Alliance, and Principal of Erenbaum Legal Strategies.  Allen has an extensive background in legislation, regulation, and government enforcement, including frequent work on business immigration, ballot measures, and trade association issues. He served as Director of Congressional Relations and Counselor to the Commissioner for the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) in Washington, D.C., where he represented President Clinton's positions before Congress. He previously worked as Counsel to the US House Judiciary Committee, where he drafted, analyzed and negotiated legislation regarding civil and constitutional rights, immigration, and federal courts. Since leaving government more than a decade ago, Allen has continued to work directly with all levels of government on behalf of his clients. He counsels corporations and individuals in business immigration matters ranging from U.S. companies hiring non-citizens to foreign companies looking to establish a U.S. presence. Allen has frequently drafted ballot measures and has been involved in numerous successful state and local initiative campaigns. In addition, Allen provides strategic legal support to trade associations and other companies regarding regulatory, compliance, and corporate issues. Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show.  Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at: Jim@theLobbyingShow.com Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

Boris Zilberman- Deputy director of Congressional Relations at the foundation for defense of democracies

In this third installment of our #WomensHistoryMonth series #MujeresLead, we hear from Kristie Hernandez, who just returned home to East LA after two years in the Obama Administration. Ms.Hernandez has over a decade of experience in government affairs, most recently as an appointee of President Obama where she spent time in the Department of Defense and later as Deputy Director of Congressional Relations at the Peace Corps. What makes this interview so special is getting to hear from Kristie's mother, Rita Hernandez, who celebrates the great accomplishments of her daughter who was able to "volar!" Please share this podcast with the hashtag #trypod #supportpocpodcasts #supportbrownpodcasts

On today’s episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Michael Matlack joins me to discuss the Physical Therapy Political Action Committee (PT-PAC). Michael Matlack is the Director of Congressional Affairs with the American Physical Therapy Association which advances the association's legislative priorities on Capitol Hill through federal lobbying, grassroots, and political action. In this episode, we discuss: -Physical Therapy Political Action Committee: What it is and what it isn’t -How the PT PAC attracts the attention of legislators -Important PT PAC initiatives in 2017 -Ways you can get involved with the PT PAC -What is up with all those ducks?? -And so much more!   The most effective way to get past the wall of congressional staff and lobbyists is through direct lines of communication from practitioners and patients. To elicit action from our members of congress, Michael believes, “They need to hear from our members, our patients and how healthcare policy affects them.”   One of the initiatives the PT PAC is targeting for 2017 is physical therapy as an alternative to opioid use for pain management. Michael notes that we need to educate legislators that, “We can manage pain. You don’t need to do drugs to do that. Physical therapy is the answer in many ways.”   Members of congress are there to represent their constituents and physical therapists can get involved in local advocacy and contact their own representatives to make the biggest impact. Michael advises, “What’s most important is to share what you do and how this healthcare policy affects your patients. That’s what resonates with members of congress.”   For more information on Michael: Michael Matlack is currently the Director of Congressional Affairs in the Government Affairs department of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). He oversees APTA’s lobbying team, PAC, and grassroots departments. Michael was employed by APTA on April, 1999. Prior to joining APTA, Michael was employed by the National Society of Professional Engineers as their Manager of Congressional Relations for two and half years. Michael was in charge of their political action committee, grassroots programs, and lobbying on education and research issues. Michael also worked at Pearson & Pipkin, Inc, a small consulting firm, the Republican National Committee and interned for former Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA). Michael is responsible for all political action at the federal level. Michael is in charge of APTA’s political action committee, PT-PAC. In the 2015-2016 election cycle PT-PAC raised more than $1.6 million through the direction of Mr. Matlack. Michael received his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from North Carolina State University in 1993. Michael has been married to his wife Cynthia for twent-one years and has two children named, Summer and Kayla.   Resources discussed on this show: Email: michaelmatlack@apta.org Phone: (703) 706-3163 Legislative Action Center Federal Advocacy Forum PT PAC House of Delegates Private Practice Section Annual Conference 2017   Action App   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen   P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!  

Jon McBride's naval service began in 1965 with flight training at Pensacola, Florida. After winning his wings as a naval aviator, he was assigned to Fighter Squadron 101 based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, for training in the F-4 "Phantom II" aircraft. Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978, McBride became an astronaut in August 1979. McBride was pilot of STS 41-G, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on October 5, 1984, aboard the Orbiter Challenger. McBride was scheduled to fly next in March 1986, as the commander of STS 61-E crew which was one of several deferred by NASA in the wake of the Challenger accident in January 1986. In July, 1987, McBride was assigned to NASA Headquarters to serve as Assistant Administrator for Congressional Relations. In May 1989, Captain McBride retired from NASA and the Navy, in order to pursue a business career. He is currently a member of the Kennedy Space Center Astronaut Encounter team, and does lecturing and corporate motivational presentations. Jon's website is http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/mcbride-ja.html The original live interview was on 5.19.09 and hosted by Chicke Fitzgerald, CEO-Solutionz.