About 190 regional leaders are preparing to take on Washington, D.C., May 9-11 during the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s 33rd annual lobbying trip to the nation’s capital.

The trip, which focuses on advocacy, education and networking, allows Greater Des Moines leaders to learn and participate in the political process, said Partnership CEO Jay Byers. It also gives attendees a chance to build and develop relationships in a retreat-like setting.

“It’s easier to pick up the phone and say, ‘Hey, let’s work together on this project,’ after a trip like this,” he said.

While in Washington, attendees will also meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, all of the members of Iowa’s congressional delegation and other government officials.

The group always has a long list of ambitious and wide-ranging policy issues to tackle, and this year is no different. However, Byers said the majority of items on the trip’s agenda this year center on the Partnership’s long-term vision plan, Capital Crossroads.

Big policy issues include:

• Infrastructure – The Partnership supports the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority’s application for a $20 million Federal Transit Administration grant for a bus rapid transit project, passenger rail and other infrastructure investments.
• Economic development – The Partnership supports the permanent extension of the New Market Tax Credit, a program it believes will spur new investment and development in disadvantaged communities; and the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit, which it believes spurs the rehabilitation of housing and commercial buildings.
• Innovation – Aligning with Iowa State University’s federal agenda, the Partnership supports continued research funding for the Hatch Act, agriculture and food research, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and Department of Defense projects, among others.
• Innovation – The Partnership supports strengthening workforce development training at community colleges, increasing federal financial aid programs to improve college affordability and enhancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education competitiveness.
• Human capital – The Partnership supports fixing the legal immigration system, which includes creating a new entrepreneurship visa category and reauthorizing the EB-5 visa program, which paves a path to the United States for immigrants willing to invest in a U.S. business.
• Quality-of-life programs – The Partnership supports continued funding for federal trails programs, the completion of the Principal Riverwalk, and arts and culture.

“The D.C. trip is a comprehensive approach to economic development and advocacy, where we speak as a collective voice for the community,” Byers said. “This trip has nothing to do with political opinions and everything to do with our region.”