The Greater Des Moines Partnership announced its 2024 federal policy agenda Tuesday. The agenda addresses the Partnership’s stance on federal policies that affect issues like economic growth, workforce retention, transportation and others in the 11-county region it serves, according to a news release. The agenda especially highlights five priorities, which will be the focus of discussion with members of Iowa’s Congressional Delegation during the annual DMDC trip in early May.

“We’re proud of the collaborative efforts of our Partnership investors and members to complete our 2024 federal policy agenda and identify five actionable featured priorities,” said Anne Roth, assistant vice president of government relations at Hy-Vee and 2024 chair of the Partnership’s Government Policy Council, in a prepared statement. “We look forward to continuing to work with our congressional delegation to advance policies that help our 11-county region and state grow.”

The priorities are:

1. Des Moines International Airport: The Partnership supports closing the funding gap for the development of the new 14-gate terminal through the Department of Transportation’s Airport Terminals Program, which provides $5 billion in federal grants to address aging air infrastructure.
2. U.S. Highway 65: Designating U.S. Highway 65 as an interstate and instituting a federal increase in weight and size limits on the corridor would support the Partnership’s transportation goals.
3. Housing: The Partnership wants to expand housing options through funding and policy, including a Conversion Tax Credit to convert commercial buildings into residential properties.
4. Child care: To increase child care options, the Partnership advocates for the availability of microloans to nonprofit child care centers, which are funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
5. Immigration: The agenda outlines the Partnership’s support for reforming the immigration process through expansion of the Conrad 30 waiver program to get foreign physicians into medically underserved areas and the H-1B program for highly skilled workers.

Read the full agenda here.