Local community leaders and elected officials are headed to Washington, D.C, this week for the annual D.C. Fly In coordinated by the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce with presenting sponsor Swift & Staley. The two-day trip, September 14 and 15, offers attendees the opportunity to meet with members of Kentucky’s Congressional delegation, agency officials, Congressional staffs and legislative experts to discuss critical federal issues facing the community, state and nation.  

On this year’s trip, the 39 participants will also meet with representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy regarding the recent Request for Proposal issued by the department for work at the Paducah DOE site. The current contract for Paducah expires in July 2017 and the group will urge DOE to award the potential 10-year contract prior to the expiration date. The group will also urge members of Congress to continue with the funding level of the contract issued in 2014.  

United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will address the group at a Congressional reception held in the U.S. Capitol Building in the Mike Mansfield Room.  

Other featured speakers include Congressman John Shimkus from the 15th District of Illinois who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee; KY Senator Rand Paul and Congressmen Brett Guthrie, John Yarmuth, Hal Rogers and Andy Barr; Leeann Veatch, Washington DC Representative for Governor Matt Bevin; representatives from the International Trade Administration, Maritime Administration, State Department, Department of Transportation, National Endowment for the Arts, and Americans for the Arts. 

Attendees on the trip represent various sectors of the local economy including government, maritime, riverport, economic development, banking, health care, arts, education, professional services, DOE contractors at the Paducah site, and local media. Members of the delegation act as “ambassadors” for the area to continue to strengthen the community’s relationships with federal elected officials and agencies and national organizations. Representatives are from McCracken, Ballard, Graves, and Marshall counties. Kate Shanks with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Maggie Sheely from the U.S. Chamber are also accompanying the group.  

There are 21 companies sponsoring the trip. For more information about the Paducah Chamber’s Washington D.C. Fly-In, contact Sandra Wilson, Paducah Chamber President at 270-559-0389. 

Sponsors include:

Presenting Sponsor: 

Swift & Staley 

Cabinet Sponsors:

Fluor

GEO Consultants

Pain Management Center 

Congressional Sponsors: 

Ballard County Economic & Industrial Development

Beltline

PACRO

Paducah-McCracken County Riverport 

Senate Sponsors:

Bacon Farmer Workman

BWXT Conversion Services

CSI

Ingram

Lourdes

Paducah Economic Development

Paducah & Louisville Railway

Pro2Serve

Smith Contracting

Superior Care Home

West Kentucky Community & Technical College 

Constituent Sponsors:

Paducah Convention and Visitors Bureau

US Bank