WASHINGTON, DC — As Congress returns to Washington to resume work on a host of pressing challenges facing our nation and the world, The Ripon Society hosted a discussion Tuesday evening with top staff members from the office of the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson (LA-4).

The discussion featured remarks from Speaker Johnson’s Chief of Staff, Hayden Haynes, who shared his thoughts on some of these challenges and the legislative agenda in the House of Representatives heading into spring. Haynes also introduced those staff members from Team Johnson who were in attendance.  The staff members included:

Alison Babb, Director of Operations; Chris Bien, Floor Director; Claire Bienvenu, Strategic Adviser to the Chief of Staff; Brian Cress, Member Services Coordinator; Ashley Callen, General Counsel; Kaleigh DeGeldere, Deputy Director of Scheduling; Jay Fields, Deputy Policy Director; Hannah Fraher, Director of House Operations; Garrett Fultz, Deputy Chief of Staff; Colleen Harmon, Scheduling Director; and, Eric Schmitz, Communications Director.

“These are busy times, to say the least," stated Jim Conzelman, the President & CEO of The Ripon Society.  "From securing our southern border here at home to defending our interests and allies abroad, America faces a host of pressing challenges in the coming year.  We appreciate Hayden and the other members of Team Johnson for joining us last night to discuss how Congress plans to confront these challenges and deliver results for the American people in the weeks and months ahead.”

“These are busy times, to say the least.  From securing our southern border here at home to defending our interests and allies abroad, America faces a host of pressing challenges in the coming year.”

According to Conzelman, yesterday’s reception was attended by a crowd of over 100 people and was the eleventh event The Ripon Society has held so far in 2024. Conzelman shared that The Ripon Society will hold its next discussion later today with Chairman Mike Turner (OH-10), who will discuss the effort he is leading on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to keep the American people – and their interests – secure. The following week, The Ripon Society will host two events -- a discussion with Congressman John Joyce (PA-13) focusing on medical innovation, and a discussion with Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-8) and Darin LaHood (R-IL-16) focusing on the bipartisan work of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.

For more information on The Ripon Society, please visit www.riponsociety.org.

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