Chamber's Annual DC Fly-In to be Held in Paducah

The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that their Annual DC Fly-In will be based out of Paducah in 2020. 

The revised plan include two parts. The first part will be held in late August when the Chamber will schedule small group virtual meetings with the Congressional staff to discuss the Chamber's 2020 priorities. In October, an event now called DC Fly-Back will be held with part virtual and part in-person to host meetings with the Department of Energy and Department of Transportation including the Maritime Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Congressman James Comer will participate in the meetings and invitations will be extended to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Rand Paul as well as other members of the state’s Congressional delegation.  

The Chamber's top three priorities for the DC Fly-In are continued FAA funding for the Barkley Regional Airport terminal project and Essential Air Service funding, continued funding for DOE’s clean-up efforts at the Paducah site and an increase in $20 million in FY 2021, and support for a comprehensive Infrastructure Bill to strengthen critical infrastructure including air, roads, bridges, railways, waterways, broadband and public transit systems.

“We chose these top three priorities to represent the greatest needs of our community that would also bring the biggest impact,” Brent Housman the chair of the Chamber’s Business Advocacy Committee said. “Barkley Regional Airport is the gateway for business and leisure travelers entering the four-state area. Replacing the 70-year-old terminal will make Paducah more attractive to visitors and prospective businesses for years to come. Similarly, increased investment in the DOE Paducah site is an investment in jobs for our area for decades to come and spending on infrastructure will lead to job creation and overall economic growth."

The Chamber also included COVID-19 Recovery Recommendations to help rebuild America’s businesses, especially small businesses in their 2020 priorities including liability protection for businesses, state and local funding, and telehealth. 

Further details about the Chamber’s two-part DC event will be released soon.