Empowered, difference making, impactful -- these are just a few of the terms that SAF members are using to describe their experiece at Congressional Action Days. Members from across the floral industry have weighed in on the positive influence that you can have by attending CAD.

Find out what your fellow growers, retailers and wholesalers are saying about CAD on SAF's YouTube page, SAFVision.

Looking for a way to learn about your lawmakers before coming to CAD? Become Facebook Friends with them or follow your representative or senators on Twitter. Most lawmakers are using these social networking tools to get messages out to their constituents including information on future town hall meetings.

Check out TweetCongress and see if your lawmakers are using Twitter!

The current health care debate can be confusing at times, but as some SAF members found out this week, hearing it directly from two key senators can help sort things out.

SAF, along with other small business associations, hosted a conference call on Monday on the status of the Senate health care bill with Sens. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz., below) and John Thune (R-S.D., left). Kyle and Thune gave their prognosis for passage of the Senate bill, forecasting difficulty for Democrats in getting the 60 votes needed. They also stressed grassroots participation and urged participants to call and e-mail their senators' offices during the next couple weeks.

SAF Government Relations Committee Chairman Kevin Priest, AAF, of Cleveland Plant & Flower Company, and SAF Treasurer Dwight Larimer, AAF, of Design Master color tool, Inc., Boulder, Co., participated in the Q & A portion of the call. Priest expressed concern about the impact of additional costs for his business, especially in light of the protracted economic downturn, while Larimer asked what happens if the bill is defeated.

Both Priest and Larimer mentioned their affiliation with SAF during their remarks - a deliberate and strategic move.

SAF, in association with the Small Business Legislative Council, invited Angolia to the Executive Office Building to hear the president's speech. While other small-business owners from around the D.C. area were in attendance, Obama praised florists, calling them passionate small-business owners.

"Being there to listen to the president was such an exciting opportunity for me," Angolia  said, "but the highlight of my visit time had to be when he mentioned florists directly in his speech."

Read the full transcript of the president's speech here.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Karen Mills, the administrator of the Small Business Administration, also were in attendance.

After the president's speech, Angolia shook Obama's hand and got a few photos. But the high-profile crowd didn't leave her star-struck: She still managed to network with other business owners during the event.

"We realized we could be an asset to each other with referrals from different jobs we had already or would get in the future," she said.

While SAF can't promise all of our members a presidential audience, we can help you connect with the lawmakers that represent you. For more information on how you can work toward developing (or maintaining) relationships with your representative or senators, contact Brian Gamberini at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

A 2006 study showed that the discussions held during these online events was both informative and of high quality. Kathy Goldschmidt of CMF said "People universally loved this and felt very positive about it."

As the past few months have shown us, town hall meetings can draw a wide array of attendees that have very different agendas then just discussing the issues at hand. Media coverage was given to Town Hall meetings that were broken up because some attendees would be yelling or talking over the lawmaker who was there to speak.

Because of the events of the past year at public town hall meetings, I would have to guess that you will see lawmakers schedule more telephone and online town hall meetings in the future. This type of interaction doesn't have the same affect as face to face communication. As law makers switch over to these types of meetings, it makes hosting your lawmaker at your business or coming to SAF's Congressional Action Days that much more important where you can make a personal connection.

If you are interested in hosting your member of Congress, contact me here at SAF.

FYI --Congressional Action Days is March 8-9, 2010 so mark your calendar today.