Immigration, Vets, Hot Topics at Hill Fly-In Reception

U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) addressed a range of issues, including immigration and job-training programs for veterans, during an early evening reception with TRSA members that kicked off the July 11-12 TRSAPAC Fly-In on Capitol Hill.

The discussion at the Capitol Hill Club near the U.S. Capitol was limited by the fact that the congressman had to return to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to cast a series of votes on pending legislation. However, Rep. Coffman touched on several issues, including immigration reform, tariffs and the need to improve training programs aimed at helping returning service members find private-sector jobs, such as engineering and maintenance positions at commercial laundries and other businesses.

TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci said TRSA would like to expand contacts with federal agencies such as the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) at the Department of Veterans Affairs to help use technology to make it easier for returning veterans looking for jobs to connect with commercial laundries seeking to fill skilled positions in plants nationwide.

Rep. Coffman, who chairs the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee, said he’d like to explore ways to improve job opportunities for veterans by expanding outreach and apprenticeship programs. He also touched on the issue of outsourcing Veterans Administration (VA) laundry programs that would allow the VA to focus more resources on caring for ailing veterans in their facilities.

With campaigns now heating up in advance of the Nov. 6 midterm congressional elections, Rep. Coffman said the best hope for Congress in the next couple of months is to complete the various appropriations bills that pay for the bulk of the federal government’s expenses. “Our goal now, by the end of the fiscal year, Oct 1, is to get the appropriations bills done,” Rep. Coffman said. Otherwise, he said, it’s likely that Congress will approve a costly “omnibus bill” loaded with extra spending, simply to keep the government open.

Another issue Congress and the administration of President Donald Trump need to act on is immigration reform, said Rep. Coffman, who represents an ethnically diverse district, including many constituents of Mexican and Salvadoran descent. President Trump wants a deal on immigration, including some kind of compromise on illegal immigrants who arrived as children and have grown up in the U.S. However, it’s unlikely any major change will happen before the elections, the congressman said. That could change if the Supreme Court should invalidate the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy enacted by former President Barack Obama through an executive order. “The Supreme Court could strike (DACA) down,” Rep. Coffman said. “That would force Congress to do something. This president doesn’t want to deport those people.” Rep. Coffman, whose suburban Denver district features one of the most competitive House races this fall, suggested a possible compromise on immigration reform. Congress could consider a program that would allow long-term illegal aliens to register with the federal government and obtain work visas that would allow them to return to their home countries and continue working in the U.S.

Trade policy was another area in which Rep. Coffman expressed concerns, specifically, the Trump administration’s move to impose tariffs on a range of products from countries including China, Canada, the European Union and Mexico. Noting that Congress recently passed a significant tax reform bill, Rep. Coffman said, “It would be nice to let the dust settle on that and see where we’re going,” before moving ahead with new trade moves that are likely to impose higher costs on U.S. trading partners.

After the congressman returned to the Capitol to vote, the TRSA group adjourned to a restaurant in downtown Washington for dinner. There an additional TRSA member joined the group, and another lawmaker, Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL), stopped by to say hello and welcome the visitors.

The TRSAPAC Fly-In contingent continued their program on Thursday morning with meetings with leaders of the Democratic and Republican congressional campaign organizations, a group of high-ranking U.S. Dept. of Transportation officials and a luncheon with Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH), chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee. For more information on the twice-yearly Fly-Ins or TRSA’s advocacy efforts at the federal, state and local levels, contact TRSA Vice President of Government Relations Kevin Schwalb at kschwalb@trsa.org.