Advocacy & Policy
Advocacy Toolkit
Here at the Urbandale Chamber, we believe businesses of all size have a voice, and we want to help those voices be heard. Therefore, we have compiled an Advocacy Toolkit filled with resources, references, and refreshers to help our members make the change they wish to see.
Important Resources
Elected Officials
Find Your State Legislators
Find out who represents you by simply typing in your address.
Find Your US Senator
Scroll through an alphabetical list of US senators to find yours.
Find Your US Representative
Enter your zipcode to find who represents you on the federal level.
Find Your City Council Representative Save & Add To Library
House & Senate Action
Live Debate
Listen to House and Senate debate live online. (Requires free download of Microsoft Media Player 9).
Daily House & Senate Calendars
Read the details of the scheduled activities in both the House & Senate.
Track House & Senate Action
Daily gavel-to-gavel record of actions in the House & Senate. Updated every 15 minutes.
Bill-Watching Tools
Check on a Bill (instantly updated)
Review all current actions on bills at this site, including amendments.
Set Up Your Own Bill Watch
Track the bills you’re interested in with this free bill tracker.
Voting and Elections
Register to Vote
Take the time a register to vote here (it’s easy!).
Additional Voter Information
Discover your precinct, request an absentee ballot, and more here.
2023 City Council Candidates
Bridget Carberry-Montgomery
Pat Boddy
Blake Rozendaal
2023 Urbandale School Board Candidates
Steve Avis
Danielle Bartkiw
Katherine Howesare
Josh Van Ryswyk
Carissa Williams
Margaret Young
Legislature 101 Refresher Course
Get the basics with these Legislative Information Office publications:
Or visit the following links to see more on federal government information.
- www.usa.gov – the US Government’s official web portal
- thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php – online source for information about the US Congress
Public Policy Resources for Members
The Partnership’s Public Policy team engages with local, state and federal officials to create public policy that generates economic growth, business prosperity and talent development in Greater Des Moines (DSM). The Partnership provides opportunities for its Members to connect, build relationships and continue dialogue with their elected officials. At the start of each legislative session, The Partnership hosts a Legislative Reception and Day on the Hill. Each year The Partnership leads a delegation of nearly 200 business, civic, community and local elected leaders to Washington, D.C., dubbed DMDC, to advocate with one voice — one of the largest Chamber of Commerce fly-ins in the nation.
What can Urbandale Chamber Members take advantage of?
• Access to the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Policy Team Andrea Woodard, Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy (awoodard@DSMpartnership.com) and Ryan Moon, Public Policy Manager (rmoon@DSMpartnership.com) to voice issues, ask questions and take advantage of other public policy resources.
• Opportunity to attend The Partnership and Affiliate Chambers hosted Legislative Reception to welcome State Legislators back to the capital.
• Opportunity to attend The Partnership’s Day on the Hill with other business and community leaders during the Iowa State Legislative Session and advocate priority issues to State Legislators.
• Opportunity to join the delegation of nearly 200 business, civic, community and local elected leaders to Washington, D.C. to advocate to Iowa’s federal delegation with one voice – one of the largest Chamber of Commerce fly-ins in the nation. This annual three-day hallmark trip takes place in the spring.
• Opportunity to attend all Public Policy and advocacy events at Member cost or no cost, including the Partnership 101 Reception, candidate forums and issue forums. • Opportunity to join The Partnership’s Government Policy Council (GPC), made up of Partnership Investor and Affiliate Chamber Member organizations, with the goal of shaping The Partnership’s state and federal policy agendas.
• Sign up for the weekly Government Policy Council e-newsletter: DSMpartnership.com/newsletters.
• Access to the Policy Team as facilitators of candidate forums and legislative forums, speakers for policy updates to Members and a resource for tools to engage in public policy.
Check out more info: DSMpartnership.com/publicpolicy.
State Policy Agenda
The Urbandale Chamber of Commerce is an Affiliate of the Greater Des Moines Partnership and participates in policy discussions. The Partnership’s Government Policy Council develops priorities every year and works to gain support for those priorities from our state legislators and Governor. Throughout the session, the GPC hosts monthly briefings at the Statehouse to keep members up-to-date on the progress of our legislative priorities.
Federal Policy Agenda
Nearly 200 of the region’s business, civic and regional community leaders travel to Washington, D.C. each May to present The Partnership’s Federal Policy Agenda and promote regional priorities and economic development plans to Iowa’s Congressional delegation, the Administration and their staffs. While in the nation’s capital, participants advocate for key issues in Des Moines.
For additional information on policy positions for the US Chamber of Commerce, click https://www.uschamber.com
Want More Information on Advocacy and Public
Policy Resources?
