Logan County Commissioner Joe Antram joined nearly 2,000 county leaders from across the country for the National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference this week.
Over two general sessions, featured speakers included senior administration officials along with members of Congress from the U.S. House of Representatives.
Conference attendees shaped NACo’s legislative agenda, received updates on key federal policies, and advocated for county priorities on Capitol Hill.
“Counties are essential in promoting economic development, safeguarding elections, upholding justice, preserving vital reords and investing in community spaces. This conference was about gathering together to share best practices in order to accomplish these goals”, Antram said.
Discussions at the conference addressed critical issues impacting counties, including surface transportation, federal disaster policy, housing and permitting reform, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, energy and data centers, workforce development, and more.
Attendees also participated in a Federal Agency Expo, with nearly 50 federal program offices sending representatives to meet with conference participants and build intergovernmental partnerships.
Policy steering committee meetings were a vital part of the programming of the conference.
Commissioner Antram attended the NACo Agriculture and Rural Affairs Policy Steering Committee session, which shared insight into the challenges and opportunities facing rural America.
Antram is a member of the Rural Action Caucus, which is a powerful forum for county leaders to amplify the unique voices of rural communities to federal leaders.
The conference culminated in an Advocacy Day of Action.
Commissioner Antram attended a breakfast meeting with Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, where he shared farming industry concerns like rising input costs and market volatility.
In a meeting with Ohio Senator Jon Husted, Antram learned about the Upward Mobility Act, Husted’s recently proposed program to alleviate the benefits cliff by combining funding from ten anti-poverty programs.
Antram’s final stop on Capitol Hill was a meeting with Jim Jordan, the representative for Ohio’s 4th Congressional District.
Over the course of the four-day conference, attendees heard from speakers including:
- Hon. Tom Emmer, Majority Whip, U.S. House of Representatives (R-Minn.)
- Hon. Sam Graves, U.S. Representative (R-Mo.); Chairman, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Hon. Glenn “GT” Thompson, U.S. Representative (R-Pa.); Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture
- Hon. Bruce Westerman, U.S. Representative (R-Ark.); Chairman, House Committee on Natural Resources
“Federal policies have direct and long-lasting impacts on county governments and our residents,” said NACo President J.D. Clark. “NACo’s Legislative Conference is an important opportunity for county leaders to strengthen relationships with our intergovernmental partners, tell our county story and advocate for county priorities that help our communities and residents thrive
“It was an honor to share the Logan County perspective with fellow County Commissioners from throughout the United States” Antram said.
