From 10-11 April, U.S. IEEE members united on Capitol Hill for the annual IEEE-USA Congressional Visits Day (CVD), hosted each year by IEEE-USA. This event brings engineers, scientists, mathematicians, researchers, educators, and technology executives to our nation’s capital to raise visibility of and support for engineering and technology.
CVD is an opportunity for IEEE members to introduce themselves, and their profession to federal elected officials, and to discuss important policy issues that impact the U.S. technology landscape.
This year’s CVD saw a total of 160 IEEE members — from across 32 states and 98 congressional districts — travel to Washington, DC. Participants attended a total of 162 meetings with Senators and Representatives and members of their staff. All of these figures represent record highs for the history of IEEE-USA’s CVD, which has been held each year since 1998.
Members attended a detailed training session conducted by IEEE-USA executives and government relations professionals, followed by meetings held throughout Capitol Hill with legislators and/or their staff. Policy issues discussed included: 1) diversifying and expanding access to AI Systems, 2) investing in the future of US Science and Technology (the CHIPS and Science Act), and 3) building a strong US technology workforce.
Joshua Richard, IEEE member from West Valley City, Utah, shared his experience: “I am encouraged by Senator Mike Lee’s dedication and proactive approach to addressing these critical areas. It is essential that we prioritize federal investment in technology and innovation to drive economic growth, enhance national security, and maintain our nation’s global competitiveness.”
“It was very exciting, especially the way IEEE-USA supported us as we prepared for these meetings,” remarked Shaini Sarkar (IEEE member and healthcare consultant, Los Angeles, CA). “We had several training sessions, and IEEE-USA was so good at organizing the meetings — it was all very seamless and smooth. We were able to put across our points in a very concise and structured manner. Thanks to IEEE-USA for helping us through this day — it was amazing.”
IEEE-USA wants to thank each and every one of our participants this year, for their dedication and preparation, resulting in a wonderfully impactful experience for all. We are looking forward to a bigger CVD event next year!
For more information, visit ieeeusa.org/cvd.
