April 24, 2023
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A group of more than 170 business and civic leaders from the San Diego region-–the largest delegation to date–traveled to Washington, D.C. as part of the Chamber’s 15th annual “Mission to Washington, D.C.”.
A key priority for this year’s trip was advocating for federal funding for regional infrastructure projects. The binational delegation–including San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas–met with federal government officials and agency representatives from a variety of departments including the EPA, Department of Transportation, Customs and Border Protection, Department of State, Housing and Urban Development, and several others. In addition, the delegation shared priorities around border infrastructure and staffing, coastal resilience, Community Development Block Grant funding, U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program, and many more key regional issues.
Delegates also had the opportunity to meet with the entire San Diego Congressional Delegation, Mexican Ambassador to the United States Esteban Moctezuma, Rep. Adam Schiff, representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and tour the Pentagon.
In full, the three-day agenda included meetings covering areas such as infrastructure, transportation, defense and veterans, national security, binational collaboration, education and childcare, and regional workforce development.
Additional key priorities for the delegation included addressing regional progress in:
- healthcare,
- transportation,
- housing and urban development,
- tourism and hospitality,
- cross-border trade,
- military and veterans,
- and energy, water, and sustainability issues.
Delegates met with:
- Mexico’s Ambassador to the United States, Esteban Moctezuma
- Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-30)
- San Diego Congressional Delegation including Reps. Issa (CA-48), Jacobs (CA-51), Levin (CA-49), Peters (CA-50), and Vargas (CA-52)
- U.S. Senator Chris Coons (DE)
- Lael Brainard, Director the National Economic Council
- Casey Durst, Executive Director, Operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Jesse Cross-Call, Deputy Director of External Affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services
- Zach McRae, Special Policy Advisor, and Alexis M. Pelosi, Senior Advisor for Climate, in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Former Congressman Jeff Denham
Additional notable delegates:
- San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas and Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer
- San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera and Councilmembers Raul Campillo, Joe LaCava, Kent Lee, Marni Von Wilpert, Monica Montgomery Steppe, and Stephen Whitburn
- Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre
- Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner
- Ambassador Carlos Gonzales, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego
- President & CEO of the Port of San Diego, Joe Stuvyesant, and Port Commissioners Castellanos (Chairman) and Michael Zucchet
- Gustavo Dallarda, Caltrans District 11 Director
The San Diego Regional Chamber is the only Chamber to lead annual binational delegation trips to the U.S. and Mexico capital cities. As the largest member-supported business organization in San Diego’s binational region, the Chamber serves as the leading voice for the business community and presents a united effort on the community’s behalf. The largest local chamber on the West Coast, the San Diego Chamber represents more than 2,000 businesses and an estimated 300,000 jobs.
View more delegation photos here
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