NGA Government Relations

The Office of Government Relations works to ensure that Governors’ views are represented in shaping federal policy by maintaining regular contact with congressional leaders and key administration officials, keeping up-to-date information on critical state–federal issues and coordinating state action.

We work closely with Governors’ Washington, D.C., office representatives, state-federal contacts and other state and local government organizations to maximize the effectiveness of NGA’s lobbying activities. Specifically, our staff serve as policy experts and liaisons to Congress and executive branch agencies and coordinate the work and policy activities of NGA committees.


Governors believe federal action should be limited to the powers expressly conveyed by the Constitution, to preserve state sovereignty in legislative and regulatory matters the Executive Committee has added the following bipartisan priorities:

  1. Enhancing emergency management;
  2. Streamlining permitting processes;
  3. Supporting flexibility and waiver opportunities and funding for state and territorial designed Medicaid, SNAP, and TANF;
  4. Ensuring the federal government meets its already committed obligations for federally funded projects across states, territories and Commonwealths.

Additional federal priorities have been developed by each of NGA’s Governor-led Task Forces and can be found on the Task Force pages below. The complete list of 2025 federal priorities can be found here.


NGA Task Forces & Council of Governors

Staff

  • Tiffany Waddell—Director of Government Relations
  • Renee Antoine—Legislative Director
  • Tim Carlton—Legislative Director
  • Richard Lukas—Legislative Director
  • Courtney Brinley—Legislative Associate
  • Abigail Smith Judstra—Legislative Associate
  • Mackenzi Matthews—Legislative Associate

Advocacy Communications Library

Testimony - PASS ID

Testimony – PASS ID

Chairman Lieberman, Ranking Member Collins and distinguished members of the committee, my name is Jim Douglas, Governor of the state ...
Testimony - ARRA Oversight

Testimony – ARRA Oversight

Chairman Towns, Ranking Member Issa, members of the committee, on behalf of the nation’s governors, thank you for holding a ...
Testimony - Health Care Reform Scheppach

Testimony – Health Care Reform Scheppach

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, my name is Ray Scheppach, and I am the Executive Director of the ...
Testimony - Health Care Reform

Testimony – Health Care Reform

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Ray Scheppach, and I am the Executive Director of the ...
Testimony -Pandemic Flu

Testimony -Pandemic Flu

Chairman Pryor, Ranking Member Ensign, members of the subcommittee, my name is John Thomasian and I am the director of ...
Testimony - Health Care Reform

Testimony – Health Care Reform

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Ray Scheppach, and I am the Executive Director of the ...
Testimony by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue - Competitiveness

Testimony by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue – Competitiveness

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member McKeon, and members of the Committee, thank you for allowing me to submit this testimony on ...
Testimony - Stimulus Oversight

Testimony – Stimulus Oversight

Chairman Lieberman, Ranking Member Collins, members of the committee, on behalf of the nation’s governors, thank you for the opportunity ...
Testimony - Economic and Employment Impact of the Arts and Music Industry

Testimony – Economic and Employment Impact of the Arts and Music Industry

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member McKeon, and members of the committee, my name is John Thomasian and I am the director ...
Testimony - Long Term Care

Testimony – Long Term Care

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Ray Scheppach, and I am the Executive Director of the ...
Testimony - New Innovations and Best Practices Under the Workforce Investment Act (2009)

Testimony – New Innovations and Best Practices Under the Workforce Investment Act (2009)

Chairman Hinojosa, Ranking Member Guthrie, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting the National Governors Association to testify ...
Testimony - Business Activity Tax

Testimony – Business Activity Tax

Chairwoman Sanchez, Ranking Member Cannon and members of the Subcommittee, I am pleased to be here on behalf of the ...
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