09/30/2024
Alder’s DC Delegation closed strong last week with a day on Capitol Hill! We got a morning download from business executive, diplomat, and public affairs expert John Hillen. Next up, lunch at the iconic Hawk n Dove with a special visit from Congressman Vince Fong, one of the newest members of the House of Representatives. From there, we met with Congressman Bryan Steil on the floor of the House where we learned some incredible history of the important chamber. A tour of the Capitol, complete with sweeping views from the Speaker’s Balcony made the day unforgettable. To settle into the evening, we decamped to the Capitol Hill Club for a small reception where we got a master class in agriculture and the California water supply from Congressman Valadao. We also were visited by artificial intelligence expert and AEI Fellow John Bailey and learned about the promise - and drawbacks - of AI technology. To tie our time together, we crossed the river to Old Town Alexandria for dinner at the historic members-only club CXIIIREX for a conversation about service and sacrifice with our inaugural Tier One Special Operations Fellow, retired 3-star General John Mulholland, and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose who is also a green beret veteran. Our experience was made even more special by the hospitality of Hooten Young who generously hosted our group. The next morning, a handful of Members took a trip to the Victims of Communism Museum to learn some of the stories of those fighting oppression throughout history around the world.
It was a truly remarkable trip that helped contextualize our role in impacting the issues most important to building a thriving society. We are so grateful to our Members and friends who leveraged their networks to help connect us with incredible decision-makers, and thankful to those who took the time to meet with us to share their perspectives and expertise! Moments like this ignite our community’s collective purpose and dedication to our mission.
