Chamber Leads Delegation To D.C. As Mayors, Other Leaders Seek To Boost San Diego Economy

By Editor, Times of San Diego

April 16, 2023

Business and civic leaders from the San Diego region have traveled to Washington, D.C. for three days of discussions on business growth, job creation and the economy.

The lobbying trip, organized by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, includes San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas, Chamber President and CEO Jerry Sanders – a former San Diego mayor – Port of San Diego Chairman Rafael Castellanos and Caltrans District 11 Director Gustavo Dallarda.

A key priority for this year’s trip, which includes more than 165 other officials – among them seven members of the San Diego City Council – will be advocating for federal funding for regional infrastructure, according to the chamber.

Members of the delegation will meet with federal officials and agency representatives from a variety of departments including the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, Customs and Border Protection, Department of State, Housing and Urban Development.

Other meetings set for the Chamber group include:

• Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S., Esteban Moctezuma
• The San Diego congressional delegation
• Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware
• Casey Durst, executive director, operations for Customs and Border Protection
• Jesse Cross-Call, deputy director of external affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services
• Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, who is seeking Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat in 2024, and
• Zach McRae, special policy advisor, and Alexis Pelosi, senior advisor for climate at HUD.

Sanders said the chamber missions to D.C. “make a real impact,” especially as they include members “from both sides of the border coordinated and aligned in sharing San Diego’s priorities.”

“San Diego is about as far as you can get from Washington. It’s important that our representatives and federal agency leaders hear directly from us about the projects and policies that uniquely affect business and the people living and working in the Cali-Baja region,” he said.

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