AAAE/ACI-NA
Washington Legislative Conference
March 18-19, 2026 | Washington, DC
Presented in Partnership with
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About the Conference
Airports will take on Capitol Hill for the 2026 AAAE/ACI-NA Washington Legislative Conference. This two-day conference will give airport industry leaders the opportunity to hear directly from members of Congress, administration officials, and Capitol Hill staff about what the airport industry can expect from Washington in the year ahead.
Don’t miss your chance to meet with your members of Congress as we gear up to advance airport priorities in 2026.
Conference Agenda
Click below to view the full agenda. Subject to change. Please check back for updates.
*Speakers are scheduled to appear, and this agenda remains subject to change.*
When the House and Senate are in session, votes and other last-minute scheduling adjustments may be made with short or little notice. Agency leaders maintain similar schedules. Conference attendees should be aware that agenda changes are likely
Wednesday, March 18
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Registration
7:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Networking Breakfast
8:00 a.m. -8:30 a.m.
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Congressional Leaders Forum
8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Congressional Leaders Forum*
Key Members of Congress will share their legislative priorities and insights on what the airport industry can expect from Capitol Hill in the year ahead.
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Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), Chair, House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
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Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), Ranking Member, House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
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Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX), Chair, House Subcommittee on Aviation
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Rep. André Carson (D-IN), Ranking Member, House Subcommittee on Aviation
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Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS)
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Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO)
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Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI)
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Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC)
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Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
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Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
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Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT)
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Case Studies in Issue-Based Airport Advocacy
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Hear from and engage with airport government affairs peers on successful strategies to advance airport priorities.
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Cindy Nichol, Director of Airports, Sacramento County Department of Airports (SMF); ACI-NA Chair (moderator)
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Rebecca Hupp, Airport Director, Boise Airport (BOI); AAAE Chair (moderator)
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Mitch Killian, Vice President, Governmental Affairs, Metropolitan Airports Commission (MSP)
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Jason Knox, Vice President of Regulatory Compliance, Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAX)
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Chris Schmaltz, Executive Vice President/General Counsel, Tucson Airport Authority (TUS)
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Break
11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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Networking Lunch
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
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Luncheon Keynote
12:15 - 12:45 p.m.
Chris Rocheleau, Deputy Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration (confirmed)
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Capitol Hill Visits
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Before your visit, reach out to your congressional delegation to set up in-person meetings in their Capitol Hill offices to talk about your airport and the industry’s policy priorities for the coming year.
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Reception and Networking Event
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
This happy hour is an opportunity to meet and mingle with your favorite ACI-NA/AAAE government affairs staff and airport colleagues from around the country.
Thursday, March 19
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Registration
7:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
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Networking Breakfast
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
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Regulatory Updates
9:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Leading administration officials from FAA/DOT, TSA, CBP, and the State Department will provide updates and answer your questions on the regulatory outlook for airport issues in 2026.
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Daniel J. Edwards, Associate Administrator for Airports, Federal Aviation Administration (confirmed)
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Ha Nguyen McNeill, Senior Official Performing the Duties of Administrator, U.S. Transportation Security Administration (confirmed)
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Matthew Davies, Executive Director, Admissibility and Passenger Programs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (invited)
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Marco Sylvester, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State (confirmed)
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Break
11:00 – 11:45 a.m
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Networking Lunch
11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
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Luncheon Keynote
12:15 - 12:45 p.m.
Jennifer Condon, Executive Vice President, America250 (confirmed)
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Conference Adjourns
1:00 p.m.
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Additional Capitol Hill Visits
After the conference adjourns, if you need more time to visit your congressional delegation, use this block to set up in-person meetings in members’ Capitol Hill offices to talk about your airport and the industry’s policy priorities for the coming year.
Registration Fees & Deadlines
2026 REGISTRATION FEES
| On/Before February 6, 2026 |
After February 6, 2026 |
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|---|---|---|
| AAAE/ACI-NA Member | $740 | $840 |
| Non-Member | $965 | $1,065 |
| Federal Government Employee | $390 | $390 |
*Must be a current U.S. or Canadian Federal Government employee. Rate does not apply to state or city government employees.
AAAE accepts registration regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, sex, physical disability and national or ethnic origin. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment and educational services. If you require any special assistance to participate or have special dietary requirements, email aaaemeetings@aaae.org.
Media Access Policy
AAAE reserves the right to grant at its sole discretion access to TV, radio and print media organizations or individuals that have registered and received prior authorization from AAAE at least 72 hours prior to an AAAE event they wish to cover. Due to the sensitive nature of some discussions, not all sessions at some AAAE events will be open to media. AAAE retains the sole right to grant or refuse media access for any event or section of an event it operates.
Hotel & Travel
Hotel Accommodations
Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf
480 L’Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20024
All conference programming, unless otherwise noted, will be held at the Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf, located at 480 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024. All attendees will receive a special rate of $365 USD ++ single/double standard rooms. The last day to receive this discounted rate is Monday, February 23, 2026. Rooms may sell out before this date, so make your reservations today!
Ground Transportation
FROM THE AIRPORTS: The Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf is located 3.5 miles from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the ride takes approximately 10-20 minutes, depending heavily on traffic. Alternatively, Transportation Network Companies (TNC) Uber and Lyft do operate at the airport, as well as Metro, and may be less expensive. Get more information on ground transportation at DCA. Washington Dulles International Airport and Baltimore Washington International Airport are also within driving distance of the hotel, just further distances than DCA.
DRIVING/PARKING: Valet parking is available for $65 per car, per day.
