Valdosta, Georgia - The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce recently led a delegation of community leaders to the nation’s capital from June 5th to June 7th.

Organized by the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber, the trip provided an invaluable platform for local leaders to engage directly with federal legislators and their staff members on critical issues affecting the community.

The delegation included prominent leaders from various sectors of the Valdosta-Lowndes community, including business, economic development, education, healthcare, and local government. The top takeaway that the group presented was that the Valdosta-Lowndes community values the importance of working together to create better opportunities and an improved quality of life for the citizens and businesses.

2024 Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber Board Chairman and Georgia Power leader, Joe Brownlee stated, “Our two days in Washington DC, have by far been the most memorable of my time so far as the 2024 Chair of the Chamber. The strength of our collective efforts shone brightly as we, a group of community leaders, visited our delegation in Washington DC. This trip exemplified the power of teamwork, unity, and shared vision in driving forward our community's aspirations and goals. I can only imagine the blessings that Lowndes County will experience if we can continue to work together.”

Throughout the trip, the delegation met with key Senators and Congressmen, including Congressman Austin Scott, chief of staff for Congressman Buddy Carter, legislative director for Congressman Sanford Bishop, Senator Raphael Warnock, and Senator Jon Ossoff. Discussions focused on various crucial topics, from healthcare and education to economic development and military support.

DeAnnia Clements, President of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, echoed this sentiment, saying, "Wiregrass enjoys being part of the Lowndes County delegation because it allows us to collectively present our community needs and accomplishments to our congressmen. So much can be accomplished when you have a group working together for the community. As a result, our congressmen have already reached out to follow up on several topics."

The group of leaders were in lock step in urging continued funding and support for the complete rollout of the new F35 mission at Moody Air Force Base. Additionally, the group encouraged Congress to:

• Increase federal funding to support industrial park development and improvements to infrastructure, including natural gas, water, sewer, rail, and road.
• Increase funding for Community Development Block Grant programs which provide vital funding for substandard housing revitalization, increased affordable, workforce housing, and small business/entrepreneurial support.
• Expand PELL to include funding for short-term technical certificates and programs such as CDL, Patient Care Assisting, and Broadband/Fiber technical to support improvement in the current workforce gap.
• Support community project funding to expand Valdosta State University's Rural Teacher Pipeline and the Center for South Georgia Regional Impact.
• Protect Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act, ensuring discounted drug prices for healthcare organizations serving uninsured and low-income patients.
• Introduce legislation to lower the age requirement for interstate commercial vehicle drivers from 21 to 18.
• Support current funding levels for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) in the FAA Reauthorization.

Hilary Gibbs, Vice President and Chief Development Officer of the SGMC Health Foundation, emphasized the broader impact of these interactions: "Traveling to Washington, D.C., with other leaders in our community to meet with legislators is invaluable. By discussing top issues face-to-face with policymakers, we can advocate for necessary changes and ensure that South Georgia’s unique needs are considered in federal decision-making processes. Additionally, it allows us to express our gratitude to legislators for all they have done and continue to do for our community."

The group expressed gratitude to legislators about the help that they and their staffs provided in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia but also shared reflections on how federal response to natural disasters could be improved. For example, Chamber President Christie Moore raised the issue that very little financial support in the form of grants exists for businesses in the wake of a disaster.

Mary Beth Brownlee, Director of One Lowndes-Valdosta, reflected on the significance of the trip, stating, “The D.C. Fly-In was a great experience and offered a great opportunity for our community’s leadership to directly engage with our federal legislative delegation and their staff. That our Congressmen and Senators can know our community’s entire leadership and understand what we are working on together is vitally important when it comes time to make those direct asks for support—or, in the case of Idalia, in times of immediate crisis."

While the DC Fly-In is an annual event, the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce remains committed to advocating for the region’s needs year-round and looks forward to continued collaboration with federal legislators to support the community’s growth and development.