Attendees experienced firsthand what high security clearance is like — passing through several security areas before getting into the briefing room.
What would you do if you had two-plus hours to talk candidly with some of President Obama’s top advisors?
For about 80 Society of American Florists members, that surreal-sounding hypothetical became a reality last month at an exclusive briefing held during SAF’s annual Congressional Action Days. Members took full advantage of the access, asking thought-provoking questions, sharing stories and respectfully pushing back on issues when opinions divided.
“The press briefing was a unique opportunity and added real value to CAD,” said former Floral Management Marketer of the Year Brad Denham of Arizona Family Florist in Phoenix. “It reinforced the importance of advocating on issues that are beneficial to our concerns.”
A highlight of the White House briefing: Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions after each of the White House staffers’ presentations.
The briefing, held in the Old Executive Office Building on the grounds of the White House, covered trade, immigration, agriculture, workplace and working family issues an
The breadth of information covered, number of administration reps in attendance, and length of the briefing — about 2.5 hours — made the event unprecedented for CAD, said SAF Senior Director of Government Relations Shawn McBurney, who worked behind the scenes for many months to line up the event.
Some of that planning involved navigating extensive White House security, including a four-part security check. Denham said that process only added to the briefing experience.
One of the “most memorable parts was the process of gaining access to the building and interacting with the staff,” he said. “It puts in perspective how many layers are involved and how complex running the government can be. It set the tone for the serious side of the job.”
As the son of third generation florists, White House Chief of Staff for the Council on Environmental Quality Chris Adamo had no problem relating to his audience.
Highlights from the briefing include:
Obama Administration Priorities
As of March 14, the day of the briefing, the Obama administration has “311 days left on the clock, so we’re working hard to make sure we get our initiatives across the finish line,” said Robert Diamond, special assistant to the president and director of private sector engagement. “The issues on your mind, we really encourage you to dig in.”
Diamond went on to touch on job growth, unemployment numbers, health insurance, clean energy and the minimum wage, among other topics.
Rod Saline, AAF, of Engwall Florist & Greenhouses in Duluth, Minnesota, then followed Diamond’s advice to dig in, asking about simplifying the tax code and wondering how often the White House actually hears from small-business owners.
“This week alone, 800 business leaders will come through the White House,” Diamond answered. “Is it rainbows and unicorns out there? Absolutely not. We are proud of the progress out there. It’s a long and slow recovery but we think we are on the right path and we look at ways to make this easier. … We’re very conscious of the concerns you raise and try to make sound policy decisions based on all of those factors. The real feedback you’re seeing, those payroll numbers, those are important data points for us.”
A great photo opportunity capped off an exciting event at the White House for Congressional Action Days attendees.
Immigration Reform
Ginette Magana, associate director of public engagement, pointed out that the country currently has “42 million foreign-born individuals,” and “these individuals will account for 85 percent of net growth in next 20 years,” she said. “Understanding this population is key as we move forward.”
She also noted President Obama’s executive action on immigration reform and inter-agency collaboration for better homeland security.
SAF Growers Council Member Patrick Busch of Len Busch Roses in Plymouth, Minnesota, pointed out that many see the president’s executive action as “divisive,” since it did not include Congress, and he worried that “both parties are politicizing the issue instead of solving it.
Michael Pugh of Pugh’s Flowers in Memphis, Tennessee, told Magana about challenges related to the H-2B visa program. She asked him for more information (and shared her personal email address with the group).
Agriculture
Doug O’Brien, the senior policy advisor for rural affairs, said increased consumer interest in how products are grown and under what conditions is creating “more opportunity for entrepreneurs in rural places across the United States,” a phenomenon the federal government can support through agencies such as the USDA Farm Service.
SAF Growers Council Member Robert Kitayama of Greenleaf-Brighton asked O’Brien about domestic production and the government’s role in increasing it.
“There’s more economic activity that’s happening on a flower that’s grown here,” O’Brien said, acknowledging the importance of domestic agriculture.
Workplace and Working Families
Ben Olinsky, special assistant to the president for labor and workforce policy, discussed the president’s decision to raise the minimum wage for all federal contract workers, to $10 an hour, as well as increasing sick leave benefits and six weeks’ paid leave for new parents.
“As workers have more disposable income, they spend it in the community,” he said. “Women who have access to paid family leave are more likely to be with their firm a year later and … we know there’s a cost to finding and training for a new business.”
Rachel Martin of Ballard Blossom in Seattle pointed out to Olinsky that those well-intentioned efforts can pose challenges to business owners, particularly when they come with convoluted legislation.
“Seattle has already enacted a phased-in $15 minimum wage requirement,” she explained, offering a counterpoint to Olinsky’s mostly sunny assertions about higher wages. “The law is confusing about how much you have to pay depending on the benefits you offer. The $15 minimum wage also doesn’t actually go into effect until several years from now; however, it has caused a lot of confusion because many job applicants don’t understand that , and think they should be paid $15 now.”
Darrell Housden of Teleflora Inc. noted that some of his customers in Seattle are worried about staying in business — and at least one has closed.
“ managers are making $20 , and they now want $25, because the others got a raise,” he said. “He’s shutting it down and moving to Denver.”
Climate
Chris Adamo, chief of staff for the Council on Environmental Quality, talked about how legislation including the Farm Bill addresses industry challenges such as the need for research and development, pest and disease control, energy efficiency and drought resiliency.
“Getting water to California could be a very different thing down the road,” he said. “Extreme weather is another issue — rain, random frost in the spring.”
This isn’t the first time Adamo has addressed SAF members: Two years ago, the former chief of staff of the Senate Agriculture Committee, told CAD attendees not to become disheartened if they didn’t see immediate change out of Washington, because many of the country’s biggest “issues should take a lot of time, they should take a lot of people. We shouldn’t be passing bills every day,” he said, before adding, “Keep pushing.”
Adamo is no stranger to the floral industry; his family operates two shops in Michigan. Growing up, he worked in the business, and, for a brief period after law school.
“I was only licensed attorney delivering flowers,” he said ruefully this year.
See more photos from Congressional Action Days.
