South Sound Leaders Bring a Unified Message to D.C.

South Sound businesses and civic and community leaders used the WA2WA 2026 Congressional Fly-In to discuss infrastructure, trade, healthcare, energy, and economic competitiveness with federal officials.

One Region, One Voice

​For more than 40 years, the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber has brought South Sound leaders to Washington, D.C. to advocate for the region. WA2WA 2026 showed it still matters: a unified message carries weight.
 
Over 50 regional leaders spent three days meeting with members of Congress, federal policymakers, and industry experts during a period of narrow political margins, trade debates, funding pressure, and legislative gridlock.
 
Even in a tough federal environment, Washington State’s congressional delegation remains one of the most effective in the country, advancing bipartisan priorities that directly affect the South Sound. Federal leaders described a narrow-margin Congress, difficult funding environment and ongoing uncertainty around trade, tariffs, and federal investment.
 
Despite the gridlock, Washington’s delegation was consistently described as highly effective at advancing bipartisan priorities especially transportation, infrastructure, defense, energy, and maritime issues.
 
Key Issues That Surfaced
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• Healthcare: Providers warned of financial strain tied to Medicaid, Medicare reimbursement, rising labor costs, and growing demand for care.
• Transportation: A proposed $580 billion federal transportation reauthorization package could support roads, bridges, transit, ferries, rail, and freight mobility.
• Energy: Clean energy, hydrogen, renewable fuels, and transmission infrastructure could drive long-term growth, but permitting and infrastructure barriers remain significant.
• Maritime: Leaders raised concerns about the Alaska-Tacoma supply chain, with roughly 90% of Alaska’s goods moving through Tacoma. Modernizing the Port of Alaska remains a major priority.
• Jones Act: The federal waiver drew concern from maritime and business leaders who said it creates uncertainty for U.S. carriers, shipyards, and maritime jobs.​
• Workforce: Employers emphasized the need to better connect education, apprenticeships, and training programs with real industry demand.

 
The Opportunity

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to bring major visibility and economic activity to Washington state, with Seattle hosting six matches and fan activities reaching communities across the region.
 
The Challenge

Business leaders said permitting remains one of the biggest barriers to growth. Multi-jurisdictional processes, unclear timelines and regulatory complexity are slowing investment.
 
The South Sound needs to become “the place for business” not only through promotion, but through faster permitting, stronger regional collaboration, and a more competitive business climate.
 
What's Next
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WA2WA attendees identified several priorities for follow-up:

• Advocate for transportation reauthorization and federal infrastructure funding.
• Support Port of Alaska modernization due to its direct connection to the South Sound.
• Push for clarity and accountability on Jones Act policy.
• Streamline permitting across local jurisdictions.
• Strengthen workforce pipelines and small business support.
• Maximize the economic impact of defense investment and clean energy growth.

 
The bottom line: WA2WA 2026 reinforced that the South Sound has major assets: port areas, defense, healthcare, manufacturing, Tribal partnerships, education, and global trade connections. The next step is turning a unified regional voice into collaborative action.​