WASHINGTON, D.C., March 26 - Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.) will be among the prominent speakers addressing more than 800 independent insurance agents and brokers during the 27th Annual National Legislative Conference of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) next week.
Sununu will speak to IIABA members during the April 4 breakfast session of the Big “I” legislative meeting—the insurance industry’s largest and most effective gathering of its kind. The National Legislative Conference will run April 2-4 at the Capital Hilton in downtown Washington, D.C.
“Senator Sununu is one of the fastest rising stars in the United States Senate,” says IIABA CEO Robert A. Rusbuldt. “On the heels of an impressive 2002 election victory over a sitting governor, he is earning the instant respect of his new colleagues and establishing himself as a critical member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over insurance issues in the Senate.”
Sununu was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 at the age of 33 and went on to serve three terms in that chamber before running for Senate in 2002. He defeated then-Gov. Jeanne Shaheen in a hard-fought general election. In addition to serving on the Banking Committee, Sununu is a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; Governmental Affairs Committee; Joint Economic Committee; and Foreign Relations Committee.
“Senator Sununu was a strong supporter of independent agents and brokers while serving in the House and continues that support in the Senate,” Rusbuldt says. “We are looking forward to his comments on the economy, taxes and small business issues as well as the war in Iraq.”
IIABA’s National Legislative Conference has long been an important speaking engagement for prominent political leaders. The previous three presidents—Ronald Reagan, George Bush (also spoke when he was vice president) and Bill Clinton—and former vice president Dan Quayle have all been keynote speakers. Also, an impressive list of Congressional leaders have addressed IIABA members, including the past three Speakers of the House—Reps. Dennis Hastert (R- Ill.), Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), and Tom Foley (D-Wash.); three Senate Majority Leaders—Sens. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and George Mitchell (D-Maine); 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) and 2000 Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.).
Current Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Senator John Breaux (D-La.) join Sununu on the speaker list for this year’s event. Frist and Breaux will speak during the April 3 breakfast session.
Highlights of the 2003 National Legislative Conference will include an in-depth issues briefing session, the ninth annual IIABA Congressional Reception, and hundreds of meetings on Capitol Hill between IIABA agents and brokers and their elected representatives in Congress.
Online registration is available at www.independentagent.com by clicking on “Register ONLINE” under the National Legislative Conference banner on the home page. Contact Tabitha Gass at (202) 863-7000 for more information about the meeting.
Founded in 1896, IIABA is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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