WASHINGTON, D.C., March 26, 2012 — The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) today announced that U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Chairman Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), will address the Annual Leadership Luncheon, just prior to the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention.
“Chairman Bachus has a long track record of standing up for small business and independent agents,” says Robert A. Rusbuldt, Big “I” president and CEO. “Our members are politically active and engaged on issues that impact the industry and consumers. We are truly honored that he will be meeting with the Big ‘I’ leadership team.”
Bachus is currently serving his tenth term representing the Sixth Congressional District of Alabama in the central part of the state. He is the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, which holds jurisdiction over the banking, securities, insurance, housing, and domestic and international monetary policy sectors. Bachus is a native of Birmingham, Ala., and graduated from Auburn University and the University of Alabama School of Law. Prior to his election to Congress, he was a practicing attorney and served in the Alabama state legislature.
“Chairman Bachus has played a leadership role on a host of issues that impact small businesses like many of our members and their clients,” says Charles E. Symington, Jr., Big “I” senior vice president for government affairs. “Just a few of the issues where our members have counted on his support include: terrorism insurance, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), financial services regulatory reform and agent licensing reform. We want to thank him for his leadership before Congress and in Alabama as a steward of taxpayer dollars and Main Street America.”
The event will be held at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 24. Attendees will include Big “I” executive and government affairs committee members, agents and brokers from Rep. Baucus’s home state of Alabama and other industry leaders.
The Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention is the insurance industry’s best-attended, most effective legislative meeting. This year’s event will take place April 25-27 at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The legislative conference is an opportunity for Big “I” agents and brokers to discuss important issues with their congressional representatives. Top issues this year include: insurance regulatory reform, extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), agent licensing reform, medical loss ratios (MLRs) and other health care topics, tax reform; the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP), and other economic challenges facing independent insurance agents and the industry.
Other highlights of the Big “I” Legislative Conference & Convention include in-depth issues briefing sessions; appearances by numerous high-profile speakers discussing important insurance and national issues confronting lawmakers as well as agents and brokers and hundreds of meetings on Capitol Hill between Big “I” agents and brokers and their elected representatives in the Congress.
For registration and hotel information, go to www.independentagent.com and select the “Events and Conferences” link. Journalists interested in attending, please contact Margarita Tapia, director of public affairs, at (800) 221-7917 or margarita.tapia@iiaba.net for media registration.
Founded in 1896, the Big “I” 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, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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