Updates from the NGA Membership Team for February 2025. For more about the programs below and a list of upcoming events please email NGA at: membership@nga.org.
February Spotlight
January 20, NGA hosted the Governors who traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump. A photo of the Governors meeting at NGA’s office is pictured above.
The Architect of the Capitol provides historical information about Presidential inaugural ceremonies held at the U.S. Capitol. The website for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies provides additional historical information.
State of the State & Territory Addresses
NGA Maintains Webpage & YouTube Playlist to Highlight State of the State and Territory Addresses
NGA maintains a resource to provide information about inauguration and state of the state and territory addresses. The resource provides the dates of the addresses along with video and transcripts of the addresses. The information can be found here.
NGA also maintains a YouTube playlist, linked below, to feature all the addresses.
2025 NGA Winter Meeting
NGA to Host Annual Winter Meeting February 20-22
NGA will host the 2025 Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., February 20-22.
The NGA Winter Meeting is the most well-attended annual gathering of the nation’s Governors and serves as a forum for bipartisan coordination on pressing national issues. Each year’s agenda includes notable guest speakers and in-depth discussions on timely priorities like infrastructure, AI, disaster preparedness, workforce development, education and housing.
Communications
NGA Leadership Responds to Release of New Nation’s Report Card
NGA Chair Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Vice Chair Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt released this statement on a new report from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Compared to pre-pandemic scores from 2019, the 2024 edition of The Nation’s Report Card shows America’s 4th graders dropped 3 points in math and 5 points in reading, while 8th graders lost 8 points in math and 5 points in reading. Compared to 2022, fourth grade math scores ticked up 2 points, while reading scores declined 2 points. For 8th graders, math scores held steady, and reading scores dipped 2 points. Students in the lowest-performing 25th and 10th percentiles showed the steepest declines, with reading scores dropping to the lowest levels recorded since NAEP tracking began in 1992. The NAEP report can be read here.
Governor Polis Conducts Interview with PBS NewsHour
Following the release of a new report from the National Assessment of Education Progress, NGA Chair Colorado Governor Jared Polis conducted an interview with PBS NewsHour to highlight the work states are leading to prepare all students for success, a key tenet of the Governor’s NGA Chair’s initiative Let’s Get Ready.
Government Relations
NGA Holds Convening for Governors’ State-Federal Affairs Representatives
NGA recently held its first big convening of the year, welcoming Governors’ State-Federal Affairs Representatives to Washington, D.C. More than 60 staff representing 41 states and territories came together for a series of productive discussions. Attendees received a briefing by bipartisan leadership from the House and Senate as well as by the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs on the legislative and policy agenda for the year.
Center for Best Practices
New NGA Publication Explores Adoption of Plain Language as a Tool for Increasing Accessibility of Government Communications
NGA released the publication “Using Plain Language for Effective Health Communication” to detail examples of how states and territories are exploring ways to increase accessibility of government communications through several strategies, including by making sure they’re written in plain language – the practice of writing for an intended audience in a clear, understandable way. Read more here.
In Memoriam
NGA Remembers Governor Tom Salmon
NGA is saddened to share former Vermont Governor Tom Salmon has passed away. We extended our condolences to the Governor’s family, friends and the people of Vermont.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott issued this statement on the passing of Governor Salmon.
Monthly Member Update
Governors Kelly, Shapiro, Youngkin Respond to Plane Crashes
NGA joins with Americans across the country to send our thoughts and prayers to the people of California. Many states have been sending resources and personnel to help support in the fight against the fires in Los Angeles. California Governor Gavin Newsom has also shared this resource providing information about how people can volunteer time or donate money to support those impacted by the Los Angeles fires.Following the aircraft collision near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin have been providing updates about ways their states have been working to respond to the tragedy, including coordinating with state and federal officials and meeting with the relatives of the victims. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has also been working to respond to the plane crash that occurred in Philadelphia.
NGA joins the Governors in extending our thoughts and prayers to all the families of the victims as well as the first responders and state and federal officials working to respond to the collisions.
Governors Youngkin, Kelly and Shapiro are pictured below (L to R).
February in Photos
NGA routinely shares photos of Governors at work. A sampling of this past month’s photo highlights follows.
Top Row (L to R): South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr.
Middle Row (L to R): North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Indiana Governor Mike Braun
Bottom Row (L to R): New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte, New York Governor Kathy Hochul
