By Katharine DeSantis
Public policy impacts every facet of our daily life, including how we do business, how we fund schools, how our government functions, and where tax dollars are spent. For Lancaster County businesses, we know issues like workforce gaps, rising costs, and regulatory uncertainty can impact your operations and growth. At the Lancaster Chamber, we work tirelessly to mitigate those challenges and create a positive environment where businesses can thrive. Advocacy is a crucial part of this work as we seek to advance pro-business legislation, deepen relationships with elected officials, and advocate for policies that matter most to our members.
A few weeks ago, the Lancaster Chamber, York Economic Alliance, and Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC partnered in this effort and traveled to our nation’s capital for a lobbying trip. Our organizations represent South-Central Pennsylvania’s business community, which spans across five counties and includes 1.6 million residents. On the cusp of a government shutdown and without a House Speaker, we found it especially pertinent to make the trip and voice our needs and concerns with the elected officials who represent us.
The trip started with an afternoon session at the U.S. Chamber, where policy experts briefed us on relevant legislation and current policy disputes that impact the business community. After firming up our pro-business policy agenda over dinner, our group was fully prepared for our day on the hill!
On Wednesday, October 23rd, we met with Congressman Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15), Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), and staff of PA Senator Bob Casey and PA Senator John Fetterman. During those meetings, we shared our advocacy agenda with them, which advocated for:
- A pro-growth regulatory and tax environment for businesses
- Investment in transportation, housing, and childcare to support our community’s workforce needs
- Passage of the 2023 Farm Bill
Our full agenda can be accessed here.
Immigration reform, education funding, and infrastructure improvements all made their way into our conversations as well as we dove into workforce issues and regional goals. We advocated for businesses of all sizes and of every industry, and focused on priorities that would make our region a more attractive place to do business.
Learn more about our advocacy work by reviewing our 2023 Pro-Business Agenda and position statements.
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