Washington Business Winter 2019 | Washington Business | Page 32
federal focus
Employers Connect with Congress
AWB’s first standalone Federal Affairs Summit this past August
in Tacoma covered the big challenges facing Washington
employers, from international trade to infrastructure.
Andrew Lenderman
For the second year in a row, AWB hosted a Federal Affairs Summit to engage business owners and leaders on the
many issues that impact them being debated in Congress and the presidential administration. Attendees received
an inside perspective on the delicate balance of the U.S Supreme Court from former U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton and
heard from six of Washington’s 12 members of Congress about the impact of trade policies on Washington’s
economy, efforts to address the state’s infrastructure needs and ongoing work to support the employer community.
At A Glance
Roughly 100 employers and
government affairs officials
gathered at the Greater Tacoma
Convention Center in August for
AWB’s second-annual Federal
Affairs Summit.
The daylong event featured
panel discussions on the
North American Free Trade
Agreement, international trade,
the U.S. Supreme Court
and more.
Six of Washington’s 12 members
of Congress attended the event
and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray,
D-WA, sent a video message.
32 association of washington business
Washington employers and the state’s congressional delegation made new connections and
discussed the big challenges facing the state at AWB’s Federal Affairs Summit in August.
The daylong event at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center covered the major
concerns for Washington companies and job creators: New strategies for trade
agreements. Federal investments in infrastructure. A functioning U.S. Export-Import
Bank, and the willingness of Canada and Mexico to trade with the U.S.
About 100 employers, state lawmakers and government affairs officials gathered for
the second-annual event Aug. 14. Trade was the dominant theme.
AWB has consistently highlighted the importance of international trade to
Washington’s economy, with extra emphasis over the past year. The Federal Affairs
Summit featured two top diplomats from some of Washington’s biggest trading partners,
Canada and Mexico.
“We need a win-win-win,” said Consul Lewis Coughlin of Canada. “And the three of
us partners working together with a strengthened NAFTA is the way to go.”
U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-6) moderated the panel with Coughlin and Dr. Roberto
Dondisch, head consul of Mexico in Seattle. Both diplomats said a fair agreement would
make the three North American countries stronger as a whole.
“We truly believe that having a North American economy, economic integration, is the
best thing for the three countries,” Dondisch said. “And it’s the only way that we can
compete worldwide.”
The three countries have since signed a renewed trade agreement, which is awaiting
congressional approval. But AWB and its member companies kept the issue in front of
lawmakers at the state and federal levels. And there’s still work to be done with China,
which is a major trading partner for Washington especially.
Kilmer said tariffs are the wrong approach.
“I would argue that the way to address that is through high-standard partnerships
with our allies, where we try to set smarter rules of the road,” he said. “…Trade is going