Americans for Prosperity and its partner organizations, The LIBRE Initiative and Concerned Veterans for America, brought grassroots leaders from across the country to Capitol Hill to talk directly with lawmakers about what families are facing today. The conversations made faraway policy fights in Washington feel not so distant.
Rising costs, tight budgets, and a growing sense that the American Dream is out of reach. That’s why participants engaged directly with lawmakers and staff on issues affecting family budgets, affordability, economic growth, health care, American energy, and the future of the American Dream.
Above, the Georgia team meeting with Rep. Barry Loudermilk (second from left).
What is AFP’s Capitol Conference, and why does it matter?
AFP’s Capitol Conference is about one thing: connecting policymakers to real Americans’ concerns.
Each year, AFP leaders from across the country come to Washington to meet directly with lawmakers and their staff to discuss ways to empower Americans and protect the American Dream.
This year, 61 AFP leaders held 135 meetings with congressional offices — in just one day.
That means that state directors, grassroots activists, and leaders from AFP, LIBRE, and CVA all spoke directly with members of Congress and their staff.
These were conversations on policies that will make life more affordable for families and small businesses all over the country.
This is how change can happen and how everyday Americans can be involved in the legislative process. Engagement like this is meaningful because everyday families and small businesses are still feeling the pressures that come with a high cost of living.
Above, members of AFP–North Carolina with Rep. Tim Moore.
Why AFP is focused on affordability
This year’s Capitol Conference was focused on affordability policies.
Leaders from AFP, LIBRE, and CVA brought an Affordability Agenda to Washington, focused on rallying lawmakers behind policies that will lower costs for all Americans.
Affordability issues aren’t fixed by government price controls, but when it gets out of the way and lets entrepreneurs and businesses compete and serve their communities.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Energy
More supply means lower costs. Streamlining permits and modernizing outdated rules make it easier to build energy infrastructure. This means America can embrace energy abundance and be more independent during international conflicts.
Health Care
Health care works better when patients are in control. Instead of Washington making decisions for your family, you should have options and choices, which leads to competition and lower prices. This includes expanded access to services such as health savings accounts and direct primary care.
Housing
If Americans need more housing, we should make it easier to build. Cutting red tape and fixing zoning barriers helps increase supply, and when supply grows, prices fall. We have the manpower and resources to house Americans — Washington just needs to get out of the way.
High costs in energy, health care, and housing have a root cause: top-down, big government policies that slow and disincentivize growth.
These negative policies affect you every day, which is why we’re empowering grassroots activists to change them.
Above, members of AFP–Pennsylvania with Rep. Dan Meuser.
What happens next
The conversations in Washington are only part of the story.
Back home in their respective states, AFP’s grassroots leaders are hard at work, engaging with their communities about these issues that empower Americans to pursue the American Dream.
Our Affordability Agenda has all of the details on our policy goals, meant to bring down costs in the country.
There’s real momentum, too.
Whether it’s helping pass the Working Families Tax Cuts or working so that almost half of the states in the country have passed REINS Act legislation, we’re empowering everyday Americans to pursue the American Dream more affordably.
You can join the fight to reignite the American Dream by signing up here.