Public Policy Steering Committee

What is the NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee?

The NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee: WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND WHY

by NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee Co-chairmen Duffy Mazan and Paul Liberty, Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations, GTSI

The NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee collects, discusses and evaluates issues and initiatives important to Northern Virginia's technology community and vets a broad range of technology and business issues suggested by NVTC members, policymakers and others in the community. The committee then prioritizes those issues to produce the annual NVTC Legislative Agenda, which provides guidance and structure to our voice in Richmond during each General Assembly session. The committee also provides guidance to the NVTC Board of Directors in adopting organizational positions on issues of particular importance and is an important resource to the NVTC staff lobbying team—providing advice, direction and feedback on legislative matters.

The NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee is a committee of the Board of Directors. However, all NVTC members are encouraged to participate in committee meetings and activities and to raise issues with the committee and to present their views. In addition and importantly, throughout the year, the committee leverages the expertise and perspectives of NVTC members by encouraging their participation in legislative study commissions, advisory panels and policymaking bodies.

The Steering Committee works closely with leaders from George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, CIT and other regional technology and business organizations to coordinate priorities and legislative strategies.

The committee meets regularly during the year to develop the NVTC legislative agenda and holds weekly conference calls when the General Assembly is in session. Look for committee meeting dates in NVTC communications vehicles, like our weekly enewsletter, The NVTC Advocate: Your Voice in Richmond (produced every Friday during the General Assembly session) and www.nvtc.org.

Have a say in the future of the NVTC policy agenda because what happens during General Assembly sessions affects your business and its bottom line. Learn more about the NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee by contacting Allison Glatfelter, NVTC Public Policy Manager, at aglatfelter@nvtc.org or (703) 904-7878, ext. 218.

How Does the Steering Committee Operate?

The NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee is a committee of the Board of Directors. Its voting members are either Board members or their designees, or Board-appointed members. All NVTC members are invited to participate in Steering Committee meetings and activities as non-voting members and we encourage member companies to raise issues with the Steering Committee and to present their views.

The Steering Committee works closely with leaders from George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, CIT, and other regional technology organizations to coordinate priorities and legislative strategies.

The Steering Committee meets regularly during the year, focusing on the development of the NVTC legislative agenda prior to the start of each session of the Virginia General Assembly. The Steering Committee also holds weekly conference calls when the General Assembly is in session.

In addition and importantly, throughout the year, the Steering Committee leverages the expertise and perspectives of NVTC members by encouraging their participation in important legislative study commissions, advisory panels, and policymaking bodies.

The Steering Committee co-chairs convene meetings. The dates, times, locations, and topics to be discussed at these meetings are shared with NVTC members through e-mail and via the NVTC weekly e-newsletter and other available communications vehicles.

How to Get Involved

Have a say in the future of NVTC's policy agenda bcause what happens during General Assembly sessions can affect your business and its bottom line. Learn more about the NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee by contacting Allison Glatfelter, Public Policy Manager & Scheduler, at publicpolicy@nvtc.org.

What's New

Virginia Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer Briefs NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee


Virginia Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer
In anticipation that the General Assembly will convene for a Special Session on transportation in May or June, the NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee invited Virginia Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer to attend their meeting this morning to provide an update on transportation funding in Virginia. During the meeting, Secretary Homer provided committee members with a comprehensive briefing on how transportation is funded in Virginia, current revenue projections, an update on the size and scope of Virginia's statewide maintenance deficit, and the challenges policymakers are facing related to transportation funding and the impact on various regions across the state.

The briefing was intended to provide committee members with the background information necessary to evaluate the various proposals that will be introduced once a Special Session is announced.

Addressing Northern Virginia's transportation crisis in a significant and sustained manner remains a top NVTC priority and is critical to the continued growth and workforce needs of Northern Virginia's technology economy and to the long term health of the state's economy. As the Governor prepares to call a Special Session to address Virginia's statewide transportation funding shortfalls, NVTC will continue its transportation advocacy efforts and push for a comprehensive transportation funding package that includes at least $400 million per year in additional long term, sustainable transportation revenues for Northern Virginia.



Delegate David Poisson (D-Sterling) addresses a joint meeting of the NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee and Workforce Committee.
NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee and Workforce Committee Hold First Joint Meeting

The NVTC Workforce Committee held its first joint meeting with the NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee last week to talk about technology education and workforce issues and public policy initiatives that pertain to these topics. The committees were joined by Virginia Delegate David Poisson (D-Sterling) who discussed his views about the Commonwealth's educational challenges. Also meeting with the group was Tim Priest, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Initiative (GWI), who presented some of the findings from GWI's latest study on human capital and the knowledge workforce in the Greater Washington region.


NVTC Public Policy Steering Committee Meets with Delegates Callahan, Moran
Committee Endorses Digital Freedom Campaign



(l-r) House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran (D-Alexandria) and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Vince Callahan (R-McLean) discussed issues with NVTC's Public Policy Steering
Committee on March 20.



(l-r) NVTC President & CEO Bobbie Kilberg; Nicholas Evans, CGI; Todd House, Micron Technology; and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran (D-Alexandria).
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Vince Callahan (R-McLean) and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran (D-Alexandria) agreed today that, despite some individual retirements, Northern Virginia will gain legislative clout as redistricting in 2011 gives the region more seats in the Virginia General Assembly.

NVTC's Public Policy Steering Committee met with the delegates on March 20, 2007 to discuss NVTC's legislative priorities, the 2007 General Assembly session and election year politics moving forward. Callahan is not seeking reelection in 2007 after serving since 1968 and championing regional interests as head of the Appropriations Committee.

The Committee thanked Callahan for his 40 years of dedicated public service as a delegate and his leadership in funding important Northern Virginia technology priorities, such as support for George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, the Center for Innovative Technology and Thomas Jefferson High School.

Delegates Callahan and Moran also joined together this year to sponsor community college transfer grant legislation, which will smooth the transition of associate degree students into four-year university programs. During his remarks, Moran thanked NVTC for lending strong support in helping to achieve passage of his pro-entrepreneur "One–Stop Permitting for Small Businesses" legislation. Moran also suggested that new strategies to bolster research in Virginia could be a priority for future legislative sessions.

The Committee also met with NVTC Board Member Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), to discuss the Digital Freedom campaign. CEA is among the groups supporting the campaign, which is dedicated to defending the rights of artists, innovators, creators and consumers to use technology without fear of unreasonable government restrictions or costly lawsuits. The Steering Committee endorsed the campaign and enlisted NVTC as a supporter.


Public Policy Steering Committee Leadership

Co-Chair:
Duffy Mazan
(703) 734-1547
dmazan@mazan.org

Co-Chair:
Paul Liberty
GTSI
(703) 502-2100
paul.liberty@gtsi.com

NVTC Lobbying Team

NVTC Vice President of Policy
Josh Levi
(703) 904-7878 ext. 214
jlevi@nvtc.org

NVTC Public Policy Manager
Allison Glatfelter
(703) 904-7878 ext. 218
aglatfelter@nvtc.org

Doug Koelemay
Managing Director
Qorvis Communications
dkoelemay@qorvis.com