Show Up and Speak Up!

“Seize the day,” wrote Roman lyric poet Horace. It was good advice some 2,000 years ago and it’s good advice now. It’s advice I long ago decided to take with regard to expressing my views to my representatives in Washington. As a utility contractor I have a unique perspective on the abysmal state of our nation’s underground infrastructure — literally the view from the trenches — and as a small businessman, I know what it takes to keep a company afloat in today’s economy. To make informed decisions on my behalf, these lawmakers
need to hear what I have to say and at every opportunity that presents itself.

As President of NUCA, I’ve had the privilege of speaking before several congressional committees on infrastructure and small business issues. As a NUCA member, I’ve visited my state’s representatives in their Capitol Hill offices during the association’s annual Washington Summit. Is all that enough? Not in my opinion. There are a multitude of opportunities worth seizing in my own backyard. It’s just a matter of translating concern, and in some cases anger, into effective political action. Let me give you an example.

Recently, I read that my congressman, Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), was holding a few public meetings in the district. One was going to be held in the food court of a local shopping mall on the upcoming Saturday — an ideal opportunity to get a little more face time with him. We had met previously in his Washington office during the Summit, and when I testified before the Small Business Committee, he had, at my request, introduced me. I arrived at the mall and discovered that I needed to fill out a sheet of paper outlining my issues. When the congressman walked into the mall, he immediately recognized me and I was able to use that opportunity to thank him for the congressional introduction. By talking to his staff, I was able to have my paper moved to the last slot, which I hoped might give me more than the three minutes allowed each constituent. Since everyone else was talking about health care, I purposely avoided that topic and concentrated on making a case for sewer and water infrastructure funding and, using my own company as an example, explained why changing the current laws governing the process of unionization was a case of fixing something that wasn’t broken.

I understand that due to economic restraints, it is difficult for most people to travel to Washington, D.C., to talk to his/her congressman or senator, but it is possible to personally interact with these folks if one stays vigilant for opportunities at home and then acts on those opportunities. We can and do make a difference when we show up and speak up.

Regards,


     Lyle Schellenberg