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AED Policy Conference & Advocacy Day

AED Policy Conference & Advocacy Day

June 13-15

The AED Policy Conference & Advocacy Day (formerly known as the Washington Fly-In) is the equipment industry’s premiere public policy event.

What happens in Washington has a significant impact on your company’s bottom line and profitability.

Although the bipartisan infrastructure package crossed the finish line, there is still significant work to be completed during the current congressional session. Top priorities for the 2022 AED Policy Conference & Advocacy Day will include:

  1. Preventing “right to repair” legislation from passing the House and Senate. There are currently four bills pending on Capitol Hill that would mandate OEM’s make tools, manuals, documentation and parts available to owners and independent repair shops at “fair and reasonable” terms, effectively upending the current equipment distribution model.
  2. Advocating for pro-growth tax policy. At the end of the 2022, the 100 percent bonus depreciation provisions from the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act begins to phaseout. Additionally, leadership in the House and Senate continue to push the Build Back Better Act, which will increase taxes on family-owned companies.
  3. Ensuring IIJA implementation follows congressional intent. Enactment of the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA)/bipartisan infrastructure law was a historic victory for the industry. The administration must swiftly fund projects and implement other provisions, including permitting reform provisions, according to congressional intent.
  4. Addressing inflation and supply chain issues. Lawmakers should pursue policies that address increased costs for consumers and businesses, including developing domestic energy resources and lowering barriers to trade.

AED’s government affairs team does an excellent job representing your interests in Washington, but lawmakers also need to hear directly from business leaders like you about how their decisions on Capitol Hill affect our companies and employees. AED will get you up to speed on everything you need to know, including the top issues impacting the industry, how to effectively advocate for your company and what to say in your meetings with congressional offices. We’ll even schedule your meetings for you!

Beyond affecting policy, attending the AED Policy Conference & Advocacy Day gives you important political intelligence to help your business planning and excellent opportunities to network with other equipment industry leaders from across the country.

Workforce Policy Summit added to Policy Conference & Advocacy Day!

AED in conjunction with The AED Foundation, is pleased to announce an exciting addition to the Policy Conference & Advocacy Day agenda. On June 13, the first day of the event, we’ll have the first AED Workforce Policy Summit, which will include a half day of panels and speakers focused on one of the equipment industry’s greatest challenges—the skilled workforce shortage.

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AED Policy Conference & Advocacy Day

For better or for worse, what happens in our nation’s capital has a significant impact on your company’s bottom line and profitability.
June 13-15

Location Information

Location InformationWillard InterContinental Washington DC
Willard InterContinental Washington DC

Hotel Information:
Willard InterContinental Washington DC
1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC, 20004
800-424-6835

Rooming Link: Click here to book your room block.
Room Rate: $399.00 (plus tax / per night)
Resort Fee: N/A
Call-In Phone Number: 800-424-6835
Local Reservations Phone Number: 202-628-9100
Reservation Book By Date: Friday, June 3, 2022

Book Your Stay!

Tentative Schedule

Please note that the following schedule is tentative and subject to change.

Time/DateLocationSession
Monday, June 13Workforce Policy Summit
10:30 amWillard Room FoyerRegistration Opens
12:30 pm – 1:30 pmBuffet Lunch
1:30 pm – 1:40 pmGrand BallroomWelcoming Remarks
1:40 pm – 2:10 pmGrand BallroomKeynote Address

The top official at the Department of Education responsible for career and technical education will discuss the Biden administration’s efforts to address the skills gap.

Amy Loyd, Assistant Secretary of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education
2:10 pm – 2:25 pmBREAK
2:25 pm – 3:30 pmGrand BallroomProsperity Through Partnership Panel:
Chelle Travis – Executive Director – SkillsUSA
Amanda Fitzgerald, Assistant Deputy Executive Director, American School Counselor Association
Cassi Zumbiel – National Director, Workforce Initiatives & Policy - The Manufacturing Institute

The national sentiment around Career and Technical Education (CTE) is shifting as the need for skilled workers have become more evident.  In this panel session, attendees will hear from leading CTE experts on what policy changes they see coming down the line, as Congress wraps up their agenda heading into a crucial election cycle for both parties. They will learn what current national programs are available for organizations to utilize to help develop the next generation of technical experts, and about different state coalitions that are pushing reforms for career and technical education.
3:30 pm – 3:45 pmBREAK
3:45 pm – 4:45 pmGrand BallroomRecruiting and Engaging the Workforce of Today and Tomorrow:
Tony Tice – Technical Recruiter – Thompson Machinery Commerce Corporation
Terryl Lindsey – Dean of Transportation – Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Keith Pearson – Skilled Trades Program Manager – United Rentals
George Arrants – Vice President – ASE Foundation

The panel will address what the dealer leadership teams need to know about school partnerships, including how to start a conversation with a local school and how best to support those schools as they start a new heavy equipment program. It will also discuss school expectations on how to be a good industry partner. Attendees will learn from panelists what has and has not worked in their experiences and walk away with best practices they can implement with their school and industry partners. 
5:00 pm – 6:30 pmCrystal RoomFuture Congressional Leaders Reception

Catch up with a bipartisan group of the next generation of congressional leaders.

Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), House Appropriations Committee

Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), House Homeland Security Committee

Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
Tuesday, June 14AED Policy Conference
7:00 am – 12:00 pmWillard Room FoyerEvent Registration Open
7:30 am – 8:00 amGrand BallroomBuffet Breakfast
8:00 am - 8:30 amWelcome and Kick-Off Keynote

Ken Taylor, President, Ohio CAT and 2022 AED Chairman

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Chairman, National Republican Senatorial Committee

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Chairman of the National Republicans Senatorial Committee, will welcome participants to Washington and discuss GOP’s outlook for taking back the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections.
8:45 am – 10:15 amOEM Panel

AED works closely with the government affairs representatives from your OEMs on issues that impact the equipment industry. Hear from leading OEMs about the issues important to their companies and what’s on their radar heading into the pivotal elections.

Daryl Bouwkamp, Senior Director of International Business Development & Government Affairs, Vermeer Corp.

Miles Chiotti, Government Affairs Manager, Deere & Co.

Katie Hays, International and Federal Government Affairs Director, Caterpillar

Catie Kawchak, Federal and State Government Affairs Director, Volvo Group

Steven Nadherny, Vice President of Government Affairs, CNH Industrial
10:15 am – 10:30 amBREAK
10:30 am – 11:45 amInfrastructure & Supply Chain Panel

With the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act’s enactment, the attention turns to implementing the bill and ensuring the promised funding gets out the door. However, challenges remain, including ensuring the administration follows congressional intent and navigating the supply chain issues impacting the construction industry and the broader economy. Hear from your customer groups and business organizations about how their members are dealing with these issues, the impact inflation and the supply chain is having on your customers, and what they’re doing to ensure the bipartisan infrastructure law’s full benefits are realized.

Jimmy Christianson, Vice President of Government Relations, Associated General Contractors of America

John Drake, Vice President of Transportation, Infrastructure, Supply Chain Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Nick Goldstein, Vice President of Regulatory & Legal Affairs, American Road & Transportation Builders Association

Zach Perconti, representing the National Utility Contractors Association, American Pipeline Contractors Association & the Power & Communications Contractors Association
11:45 pm – 1:00 pmLeading Lawmaker Luncheon

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), a former Navy Seal and House Energy & Commerce Committee will join us for lunch to discuss happenings on Capitol Hill and his focus in Congress.
1:15 pm – 2:30 pmAgriculture Policy Update

With the Farm Bill set to be considered next year, stakeholders and policymakers are preparing to impact the process. Hear from farm equipment stakeholders about their priorities and expectations.

Emily Buckman, Director of Government Affairs, American Farm Bureau

Robbie Minnich, Senior Government Relations Representative, National Cotton Council

Ariel Wiegard, Director of Government Affairs, American Soybean Association
2:45 pm – 4:15 pmAdvocacy 101: The Ins and Outs of Capitol Hill Meetings

Congressional offices and Capitol Hill meetings can be mysterious. Learn from a congressional staffer how Capitol Hill offices operate and what you need to do (and shouldn’t do) to effectively engage lawmakers during meetings. AED’s government affairs team will also review the legislative priorities for the next day’s Hill meetings.

Chris McCannell, Senior Government Affairs Advisor, Gray Robinson

Nandini Narayan, Legislative Director, Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.)
5:00 pm – 6:30 pmThe NestLeading Lawmaker Reception

Join your industry colleagues for a reception honoring an industry champion and the presentation of AED’s Legislative Leadership Award.

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman, Senate Environment & Public Works Committee
Wednesday, June 15Advocacy Day
8:00 am – 9:00 amCapitol Hill Club
300 1st Street, S.E.,
Washington, DC 20003

Eisenhower Room		Industry Champions Breakfast

Sit down with members of Congress from key committees who are advocates for the equipment industry. Talk to them about the issues affecting your markets and costs of doing business and get a first-hand perspective about what’s happening on the Hill and in the political trenches “back home”.

Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.)

Rep. Mike Carey (R-Ohio)

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.)

Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.)

Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.)

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.)

Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas)
9:00 am – 5:00 pmCapitol Hill & Capitol Hill Club

Eisenhower Room		Taking it to the Hill: Meetings with Lawmakers

Attendees meet with representatives, senators, and congressional staff.

Please note: Members of Congress will be stopping by throughout the day to meet AED members and address the group.
11:30 am – 1:30 pmCapitol Hill Club

Eisenhower Room

439 New Jersey Ave, SE		Lunch will be available in between Capitol Hill Meetings
4:30 pm – 6:00 pmSpeaker's RoomAED Board Meeting

(For AED Board Members Only)

AED is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM recertification activities. This program is valid for 3 PDCs for the SHRM- CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit www.shrmcertification.org.

Companies who have attended previously include:

4 Rivers Equipment, LLC
Admar Supply Co., Inc.
Alta Equipment Company
Bejac Corporation
Berry Companies, Inc.
Brandeis Machinery & Supply Co.
C & B Operations
Carter Machinery Company, Inc.
CMW Equipment
Compact Construction Equipment LLC
Company Wrench, Ltd.
Compass Equipment, Inc.
Contractors Sales Co. Inc.
Correlli Inc.
Ditch Witch Mid-States
EJ Equipment Inc
Emery Equipment Sales & Rentals, Inc.
Equipment Corporation of America
Faris Machinery Company
Frank Martin Sons, Inc.
Garton Tractor Inc.
General Equipment & Supplies, Inc.
GS Equipment, Inc. dba Great Southern Equipment Co.
Highway Equipment Company
Hoffman Equipment Co.
Holland Equipment Services
HOLT CAT
Intermountain Bobcat
James River Equipment
Jesco Inc.
Joe Johnson Equipment Inc.		Kelly Tractor Co.
Kimball Equipment Company
Low Country Machinery
Luby Equipment Services
MECO Miami, Inc.
Modern Group Ltd.
Newman Tractor, LLC
Ohio CAT
Power Equipment Company
RDO Equipment Co.
Scott Machinery Company
Southeastern Equipment Co. Inc.
Standard Equipment Company
Stephenson Equipment, Inc.
Stowers Machinery Corp.
Strongco Corporation
Sunstate Equipment Co., LLC
Thompson Machinery
Thompson Tractor Co., Inc.
Vermeer All Roads
Vermeer Canada Inc.
Vermeer MidSouth, Inc.
Vermeer Southeast Sales & Service Inc.
Vermeer Texas-Louisiana
Wagner Equipment Co.
Washington Air Compressor Rental Co.
West Side Tractor Sales Co.
Westrax Machinery, Inc.
Wheeler Machinery Co.
Whited Equipment Company

AED Cancellation Policy:

Refunds are not permitted within 14 days of the event.

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