WASHINGTON, DC — With House Democrats holding their annual retreat in Leesburg to plot out their legislative agenda for the rest of the year, The Ripon Society held a breakfast meeting yesterday morning with the Republican Staff Directors of three key committees, who discussed how the GOP is planning to impact this agenda and put the party in a position to reclaim their House majority in 2020.

The Staff Directors included: Gary Andres, who leads the Republican staff of the Ways & Means Committee; Mike Bloomquist, who heads up the GOP staff on the Energy & Commerce Committee; and, Brendan Belair, who leads Republican staff members on the Judiciary Committee.

“We appreciate Gary, Mike, and Brendan for joining us yesterday morning,” stated Jim Conzelman, the President & CEO of The Ripon Society. “They have important jobs, to say the least. During the 115th Congress, they played a key role in the effort to rewrite the tax code, fight the opioid crisis, and reform our criminal justice system so people have a second chance in life.

“In the 116th Congress, I would argue that their jobs in some respects are even more important.  They are leading the effort to not only promote Republican principles during this period of Democratic rule, but block proposals like the Green New Deal and Medicare for All that will increase the size of the federal government and stand in the way of continued economic growth.”

“They are leading the effort to not only promote Republican principles during this period of Democratic rule, but block proposals like the Green New Deal and Medicare for All that will increase the size of the federal government and stand in the way of continued economic growth.”

According to Conzelman, yesterday’s breakfast discussion was attended by a crowd of over 60 people, and was the 24th event The Ripon Society has hosted so far in 2019. He added that later this month, The Ripon Society will host a luncheon discussion with Shahira Knight, the Assistant to the President and Director of Legislative Affairs at the White House, who will discuss the President’s top policy priorities and how the Administration plans to work with Republicans in the House and Senate to get these priorities approved in the coming months.

The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.