U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse poses between AeroTEC President Lee Human (Left) and Flight Test Center Site Manager Matt Davis.

One of the best ways to educate elected officials about your company and the maintenance industry is to host them at your facility. Visits give lawmakers the opportunity to hear from company executives, meet with employees, see their work first-hand and learn how repair stations are affected by government policy.

Associate member AeroTEC Inc. has embraced that philosophy and is doing its part to raise the maintenance community’s collective visibility. The company, which hosted local elected officials earlier this year (covered in the May 4 edition of the hotline), recently received a visit from Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) at its Moses Lake, Washington flight test center.

Newhouse is a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which controls federal purse-strings. As a member of the House Rules Committee he also serves as one of the gatekeepers who helps decide what legislation reaches the House floor and what amendments can be offered to bills.

During the visit on May 31, AeroTEC President Lee Human and Site Manager Matt Davis gave the congressman a company tour and discussed issues impacting the maintenance industry. The aviation workforce skills gap was a top issue discussed. The visit provided an opportunity to encourage Rep. Newhouse’s support for legislation pending in the House and Senate (H.R. 5701 and S. 2506) to create a new grant program to address the technician shortage and help underscore the local impact of maintenance jobs.

http://arsa.org/legislative/grant-program-action-center/

ARSA is standing by to help its members coordinate visits from elected officials and candidates this summer and fall. The association can help establish contact with schedulers, suggest an agenda for the meeting and provide briefing materials. To get the process started, send an email to ARSA Executive Vice President Christian Klein (christian.klein@arsa.org).

If you already have a visit on the calendar, let ARSA know (and be sure to take lots of pictures!).

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (Center Right) walks through AeroTEC’s Moses Lake Flight Test Center as his district representative Vicki Holleman-Perez looks on.

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (Left) walks through AeroTEC’s Moses Lake Flight Test Center.

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (Right) walks through AeroTEC’s Moses Lake Flight Test Center.

AeroTEC develops, tests and certifies new aircraft products using innovative and scalable development, test and certification techniques to help large and small aerospace companies everywhere bring their products to market quickly, easily and efficiently. To learn more, visit www.aerotec.com.

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