Women in Print Alliance members Brooke Hamilton, Jaime Herand, and Lane Hickey-Wiggins recently visited Capitol Hill as part of their volunteer service on the PRINTING United Alliance Board of Directors. The delegation met with members of both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate to deliver an overview of today’s modern printing industry and its economic impact, societal benefits, and environmental stewardship.

The key “ask” by the delegation was a request for lawmakers to join the Congressional Printing Caucus, a bipartisan caucus focused on advancing an agenda that protects America’s printing industry and honors its history in cities and towns throughout the country. (Want to ask your own lawmakers to join the Congressional Printing Caucus? Learn more about the caucus and then reach out to them here.)

A secondary ask was an invitation to lawmakers to become more familiar with the printing industry by taking a facility tour of a constituent printing company back home in states and Congressional districts. Such tours educate lawmakers to the size and scope of the printing industry, jobs creation and career pathways associated with print, and diverse array of products manufactured by printing technologies.

Already, Brooke Hamilton‘s hometown Congressman, U.S. Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01), accepted the invitation and walked the floor at NPI-Printing and Product Identification, a third-generation woman-owned business. He learned about the company’s local history, product offerings, and employment rates.

“Our employees were proud to show their Congressman first-hand the products and hard work that we as a company contribute to the Oklahoma and national economy,” Brooke said following the tour.

Representative Hern’s visit was preceded by a similar introductory tour that Hamilton hosted for Oklahoma’s U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin.

Advocating on Capitol Hill was a first-time experience for all three women – and an exercise in both stamina and patience, as the “Day on the Hill” coincided with a historic joint address to Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and required extensive security checkpoints throughout the day (lots of steps walked in high heels!).

Jaime Herand, VP of Graphic Solutions at Orbus Visual Communications, met with U.S. Representative Bill Foster (IL-11). “It was inspiring to meet with Representative Foster to share our industry’s challenges and opportunities,” said Jaime. “It was an incredible opportunity to visit Capitol Hill and advocate for the printing industry!”

Lane Hickey-Wiggins, President and CEO of Dprint in Lakeland, Florida, described the Day on the Hill event as “enlightening” and one in which she was honored to participate. Lane is hoping to schedule a facility tour of her company with U.S. Representative Laurel Lee (FL-15) soon.

And she’s definitely planning a return visit to Washington, D.C., saying “I look forward to future visits to continue spreading awareness of how vital print is in – quite literally – most aspects of our world.”

Thank you to all three women for taking the time away from their homes, businesses and families to help promote the printing industry’s visibility in the nation’s capital!