At the 2024 NGA Summer Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, representatives from multiple federal agencies held meetings with Governors’ staff members to focus on coordination between state and federal policy priorities. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee joined meetings with representatives from the Department of Commerce, Department of Education and the Department of Transportation to focus on several areas where the state of Rhode Island is coordinating policy initiatives and funding priorities with these agencies.
Among federal agencies participants, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs) Alex Wagner represented the United States Air Force to meet with Governors’ staff members on an ongoing issue of concern for the nation’s Governors who have been working with the Air Force and the Department of Defense to press for the discontinuation of legislative proposal (LP480) that would weaken or eliminate Governor authority over the National Guard and threaten readiness and operational efficacy of their units.
In addition to the Air Force, the following federal agencies held meetings with Governors’ staff members at the 2024 NGA Summer Meeting:
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Defense
- Department of Education
- Department of Energy
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Department of the Interior
- Department of Transportation
- Environmental Protection Agency
NGA’s Office of Government relations coordinated the meetings and works closely with federal agencies, including administration and congressional leaders, to ensure that the views of the nation’s Governors are represented in shaping federal policy. NGA’s team also works to keep federal officials informed of critical federal-state issues and works to coordinate state action. More information about NGA’s Office of Government relations can be found here.
