Lessons from the 2026 Congressional City Conference

>> LAST MONTH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM SOUTHWEST FLORIDA JOINED MORE THAN 2500 MAYORS AND LOCAL LEADERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THEY ATTENDED THE 2026 CONGRESSIONAL CITY CONFERENCE. THE EVENT AIMS TO BRING LEADERS TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE A VARIETY OF ISSUES THAT COULD IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CONSTITUENTS. >> JOINING US NOW SPERANZA DID SHE IS THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE. >> AND DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL ADVOCACY WITH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. >> THANK YOU, JENNIFER, FOR HAVING ME. >> NOW, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ORGANIZATION? >> YES, SO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES IS AN ASSOCIATION THAT REPRESENTS. CITY OFFICIALS. SO ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT'S MAYORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF. WE ARE THEIR VOICE HERE IN WASHINGTON. WE ALSO SERVE AS A CONVENER. AND BRING THEM TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE AND OUR NATION'S CAPITAL AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM TO ADVOCATE ON THEIR BEHALF AND THE PRIORITIES MOST IMPORTANT TO THEIR COMMUNITY. >> WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR LOCAL LEADERS TO BE INVOLVED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL? >> IT IS IMPORTANT FOR LOCAL LEADERS TO BE INVOLVED AND WORK CLOSELY WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHING A FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO LIVE OR THEY DELIVER ON BEHALF OF THEIR RESIDENTS EVERY DAY. THEY ARE THE MOST TRUSTED LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL LEADERS HERE FROM THEIR RESIDENCE IN THE GROCERY STORE WHERE EVER THEY GO ABOUT WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THEIR COMMUNITY. AND SO THIS CONVENING IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL GIVES LOCAL LEADERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE ON THEIR RESIDENTS BEHALF AND BE ABLE TO KEEP WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THEIR RESIDENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES FRONT AND CENTER HERE WITH CONGRESS AND WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE MEETING WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES WHILE THEY ARE IN TOWN TALKING ABOUT FEDERAL PROGRAMS, FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A TRUSTED AND RELIABLE FEDERAL PARTNER. TO DO THEIR WORK EVERY DAY. >> HOW CAN LOCAL CITIZENS GET INVOLVED IF THEY DO WANT TO EFFECT CHANGE IN THEIR GOVERNMENT? WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST ADVICE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? >> THANK YOU, JENNIFER, FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION. LOCAL LEADERS NOT ONLY NEED A PARTNER IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEY NEED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEIR RESIDENTS. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS OF THE UPMOST IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP PRIORITIZE WHAT IS MOST NEEDED AND WHERE IN NEIGHBORHOODS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS CHALLENGES. AND INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE IN THEIR LOCAL ECONOMY, WHICH THEN THEREBY HELPS OUR STATE AND NATIONAL ECONOMY THRIVE AS WELL. >> NOW, I ALSO NOTICE THAT THIS IS A NON PARTISAN ORGANIZATION HOW HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT NON PARTISAN SHIP, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME WHEN EVERYTHING IS JUST SO DIVIDED POLITICALLY? >> YEAH, NO, IT IS DIVIDED POLITICALLY AND THERE ARE NARROW MAJORITIES IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE WHICH REQUIRES COMPROMISE. AND SO CITIES IS A NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION. AND IN FACT, MOST OF THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THIS COUNTRY, OUR ELECTED UNAFFILIATED WITH ANY PARTY. AND SO AS A RESULT, THEY ARE ABLE TO FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS MOST AND TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES. THAT'S WHAT BRINGS THEM HERE TO WASHINGTON. THAT'S WHAT BRINGS THEM TO ADVOCATE AND DEVELOP STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOTH THE ADMINISTRATION AND WITH CONGRESS ON BEHALF OF THEIR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY ARE FOCUSED ON WHAT MATTERS MOST. AND THAT'S WHAT THEIR CONSTITUENTS BACK AT HOME REQUIRE AND ASK OF THEM EVERY DAY. >> IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION? >> IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONVENE LOCAL LEADERS FROM ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, FROM COMMUNITIES OF ALL SIZES, URBAN RULE, LARGE SMALL, MEDIUM. THEY ARE ALL FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THEIR LOCAL ECONOMIES ARE STRONG ARE STABILIZED AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY CONVENE THAT THEY SHARE BEST PRACTICES. HOW ONE ANOTHER ARE ADDRESSING SOLUTIONS THAT THEY'RE ALL LOOKING TO ADDRESS IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND BRINGING BACK HOME. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THEY COME TOGETHER TO SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE TO BE ABLE TO CUT THROUGH THE MADNESS OF WHAT WE SEE EACH AND EVERY DAY BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE WANT THEIR ELECTED LEADERSHIP TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT. AND THAT IS CREATING A QUALITY OF LIFE BACK AT HOME THAT EVERYBODY CAN BE ABLE TO THRIVE AND PROSPER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY FROM DC AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING