Taking co-op message to D.C. lawmakers

Sixty-five Tennesseans joined 2,100 co-op leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C. for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Legislative Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 25 and 26. Co-op directors, managers and senior staff visited with Tennessee’s congressional delegation to discuss energy supply, rural infrastructure, broadband, tax policy and other issues important to co-ops.

During an address at the conference, Energy Secretary Rick Perry hailed electric cooperatives for delivering affordable, reliable electricity to rural America and encouraged them to advocate on their challenges, especially grid security. “We have the greatest electric grid in the world,” Perry said, “and we need to keep it that way.”

“From energy and economic development to broadband and rural commerce, co-ops have a significant impact on Tennessee’s rural communities,” says David Callis, executive vice president of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “The decisions made in D.C. matter, and it is important for co-ops to be engaged. I appreciate the co-op leaders from across the state who joined us on Capitol Hill to tell the co-op story.”

Co-op leaders met with U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker as well as Reps. Black, Blackburn, Duncan, Desjarlais, Fleischmann, Kustoff and Roe.