Top Long Island business leaders from the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce were recently invited to take part in a special day at the Capitol. Congressman Steve Israel invited the group to Washington, D.C. for a visit which included a private tour of Congress, hosting their attendance as he spoke on the "Congressional Floor," organizing informative sessions with key speakers from governmental agencies as well as the White House and spending time with the business leaders during a catered lunch. Attendees left Washington, D.C. with an abundance of resources which can be utilized to build local businesses and corporations here on Long Island in order to help them maintain a competitive edge.
"This is a time of great opportunity," Congressman Steve Israel said. "Rising economic growth appears on the horizon, yet unemployment remains stubbornly high in too many towns. With your engagement as partners, we can each take the critical and necessary steps to ensure that Long Island continues to thrive for years to come."
The day's events included presentations from Grace Kilbane, Administrator for the Office of Workforce Investment in the U.S. Department of Labor; Doug Rand, Policy Advisor at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; John Shea, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Macroeconomic Analysis in the Office of Economic Policy in the U.S. Department of Treasury; and Michael Masserman, Director of the Office of Advisory Committees within the Department of Commerce. Topics discussed focused on strengthening Long Island business operations and included financial forecasts of the overall economy as well as international trade and export, unemployment and opportunities to help displaced workers on an ongoing basis.
"It was a great day filled with informative, useful and extremely interesting material which we plan to implement here at home," said Robert Bontempi, Chairman of the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce. "On behalf of the Chamber, I'd like to thank Congressman Israel for creating such a wonderful event for his constituents."
About the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce: Incorporated in 1925 as a Chamber of Commerce in the Village of Huntington, today the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of business, industry, financial service, not-for-profit and other professionals of the greater Huntington region. Its mission is the promotion of business, economic development and job creation through the coordinated effort of its membership. The Chamber is dedicated to serving the needs of its members through government advocacy, networking, community and education. In fulfillment of its service and community goals, The Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce develops public policy positions; provides networking opportunities to create a stronger business environment; collects and analyzes data for dissemination of vital information and promotes economic development, job growth, education and an enhanced quality of life for all Long Islanders.