Washington Business Winter 2019 | Washington Business | Page 33

federal focus to happen. And the question is do we want it to happen with no rules, where it’s the Wild West, do we want to have it happen with rules that are set by China, or do we want to be at the table setting the rules of the road?” A better approach to trade was a common theme from each of the six Washington federal lawmakers that attended. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D -2) voiced support for a functioning U.S. Export-Import Bank, which finances loans for American companies that export. “The U.S. can and should reinvest in existing programs to promote trade, promote investment, and promote economic diplomacy,” Larsen said. “Trade is an important tool of the U.S., and we’re not using it well enough anymore.” Other attendees from Washington’s Congressional delegation included U.S. Reps. Denny Heck (D -10), Adam Smith (D -9), Suzan DelBene (D -1), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-5), who attended via a conference call after a travel delay. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) addressed the crowd in a pre-recorded video. While free trade took up much of the discussion, the day covered much more. Heck conveyed some cautious optimism around a new federal infrastructure bill, which would create jobs in the short term and lay the foundation for strong economic growth in future years. “There is an underlying consensus that we need to do more on infrastructure, and I think we ought to take advantage of it,” Heck said. AWB followed up on the August summit with a visit to the nation’s capital Dec. 4-6 at the annual D.C. Fly-In event. “AWB is more engaged than ever at the federal level, and we encourage our members from all across Washington to let us know how federal decisions impact their business,” AWB President Kris Johnson said. To l e a r n m o r e o n AW B ’s f e d e r a l efforts, contact AWB Government Affairs Director Amy Anderson at 360.943.1600 or [email protected]. winter 2019 33