Carpet Industry Leaders Meet With Legislators

Washington, DC, March 14, 2012 -- On Wednesday and Thursday, March 7-8, a group representing the carpet industry and the North Georgia business community traveled to Washington DC for CRI's annual Hill Visits and Legislative reception.

Designed to give carpet and area business leaders the opportunity to speak directly with lawmakers about pressing issues, attendees for this year's delegation included Werner Braun and Jennifer Mendez from CRI, Rick Hooper with Shaw Industries, Joe Foye and Joe Yarborough, Mohawk, Russ Delozier, J&J Industries, Kathi Dutilh, Milliken and Brian Anderson and Phyllis Stephens, Dalton-Whitfield Chamber of Commerce.

During their two-day visit, the delegation met jointly with Georgia Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), and with Georgia representatives Austin Scott (GA-8), Phil Gingrey (GA-11), Rob Woodall (GA-7), Tom Graves (GA-9), John Barrow (GA-12), David Scott (GA-13), Lynn Westmoreland (GA-3), Jack Kingston (GA-1), Hank Johnson (GA-4) and Paul Broun (GA-10). The group also met with legislative staff Kyle Zepley, policy advisor for Rep. Tom Price (GA-6) and Erin Daly, legislative aide to Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-2).

In addition to conversations with Georgia lawmakers, the group spoke with leaders from other states, including Rep. Martha Roby from Alabama (AL-2), California Representatives Dan Lungren (CA-3) and Brian Bilbray (CA-50), South Carolina representatives Joe Wilson (SC-2) and Jim Clyburn (SC-6) and Tennessee Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-3). The group met with several high-level staff, representing Florida Congressman Jeff Miller (FL-1), Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) of Alabama, and Tennessee Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander.

Among topics discussed with legislators were ideas for re-energizing the housing market and the effects of uncertainty about taxes, energy policy and regulation on economic recovery for the carpet industry and North Georgia region.

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