Capitol Connections and your engagement are critical to ELFA’s Government Relations Strategy
ELFA REGULARLY ENGAGES WITH LEGISLATORS on public policy issues on behalf of our 575 member companies. As an association, we are able to communicate our industry’s priorities with one voice—and that ability relies on our member engagement to localize and emphasize our advocacy efforts.
This year, we will once again gather in our nation’s capital to advocate on behalf of the equipment finance industry. Capitol Connections 2024 will be in-person in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, May 22. Registration will open soon at www.elfaonline.org/events. We will be announcing programming for this event to include issue briefings, webinar dates and special programming in the coming months. This year there will be an opening reception on Tuesday, May 21, along with the LeasePAC Chair’s Dinner. Other ELFA events, including the ELFA Board Meeting and Business Council Steering Committee (BCSC) meetings, will be held on Thursday, May 23.
Our Federal Advocacy efforts don’t end with Capitol Connections. It is just one part—but a critical part—of the association’s government relations strategy. We utilize direct advocacy, grassroots mobilization and political engagement. Capitol Connections is a great way to get in direct contact with your members of Congress to localize our industry’s impact and build relationships. By utilizing all three avenues to engage with policymakers, we’re able to achieve greater results for our members.
Direct Advocacy
Direct advocacy, often called lobbying, is an expression of our right to "petition the government" as stated in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Elected officials come from a wide array of backgrounds and many are not aware of the ways legislation can impact the equipment finance industry. We can’t expect that every member, even those on congressional committees with direct responsibility for our industry, knows the ins and outs of equipment finance. As a result, much of ELFA’s direct advocacy efforts focus on education about the industry.
When ELFA’s advocacy team weighs whether to advocate for any given matter, we first turn to the ELFA membership. Through BCSCs, working groups and other forms of engagement, ELFA members provide invaluable insight that helps us determine how current policy is working for the equipment finance industry.
Once a policy issue has been identified and if it calls for direct engagement, ELFA staff, often in coordination with member company volunteers, go directly to members of Congress and their staff to educate them about the issue. Once that base-level education is achieved, ELFA can advocate for the path that will lead to the best result for the equipment finance industry.
Grassroots Mobilization
Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill is known for saying “all politics is local.” Grassroots involvement from constituents is one of the most effective ways to advocate for a policy position to elected officials.
With constituent engagement being such an effective vehicle for advocacy, ELFA is proud to continue to host Capitol Connections in Washington, D.C. It’s a terrific way to meet with your elected officials to share your local story and highlight the way in which policies directly impact their constituents. Capitol Connections brings industry voices to elected officials by providing a firsthand account of policy matters that affect the day-to-day of ELFA member companies. Capitol Connection is also an important part of ELFA’s Advocacy Champions program,
The grassroots portion of Advocacy Champions is not limited to Capitol Connections. Members are encouraged to invite members of Congress to their facilities to meet with their employees, and again educate them on the industry and the ways in which policies impact their employees and business. If you’re interested in hosting a member of Congress at your business, please contact ELFA’s Federal Government Relations team.
Political Involvement
Political involvement is knowing which candidates understand and support the industry and helping them get reelected. Civic engagement goes beyond just voting. It can be volunteering on a campaign or assisting a candidate in your area by introducing them to community members and specifically your neighbors. These activities can propel a candidate into elected office and make them recognize you as a valuable resource when they need to know how a proposed policy will impact the local economy.
Just like growing a business takes capital, so does running a campaign. A political campaign needs funding to pay staff, run political advertisements and travel around the district. To help create a united voice, ELFA has its own political action committee, LeasePAC, to collect voluntary contributions from hundreds of employees at ELFA member companies and pool those funds to contribute to candidates who share our values. LeasePAC is guided by the LeasePAC Committee, which is composed of employees from ELFA member companies and oversees all PAC activities. To learn more, visit the LeasePAC website.
Engaging with those who represent us is important, so our policy priorities are known and acted on. Your participation is critical to helping ELFA deliver the equipment finance message to policymakers. With that in mind, if you would like to build a relationship with your member of Congress in advance of Capitol Connections, please reach out to ELFA’s Federal Government Relations team.
