Industry Leaders Gather in Washington for APPA Legislative Rally

Officials from AMP/OMEA Member communities met with congressional offices to raise awareness of how federal policy affects municipal electric system customers.

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Representatives and officials from more than 30 American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) and Ohio Municipal Electric Association (OMEA) Members participated in the 2026 American Public Power Association (APPA) Legislative Rally, Feb. 23-25. The annual Rally is an opportunity for municipal electric system representatives from across the country to share firsthand insights with federal lawmakers and their staff.

“The APPA Legislative Rally is one of the best opportunities for AMP and its Members to talk with federal legislators and their staff about the issues most important to public power,” said Jolene Thompson, AMP President/CEO. “Our Members did a great job representing public power and advocating for their communities. We are thankful to the legislators and staff who were able to meet with us and discuss our views.”

Nearly 60 AMP and OMEA Member community officials and representatives attended the Rally, representing Members from Delaware, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

“The Legislative Rally is a great chance for public power officials to engage directly with federal legislators and policymakers,” said Michael Beirne, AMP Vice President of External Affairs and OMEA Executive Director, who also chaired the 2026 APPA Legislative & Resolutions Committee during the Rally. “Our Members were engaged in informing their lawmakers on the specific challenges facing their local utilities and communities and explaining how federal policies have a direct impact on their day-to-day operations.”

AMP and OMEA Member officials focused their discussions with lawmakers on the key issues affecting public power, including the recently proposed PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM), emergency capacity auction, resource adequacy, permitting reform, municipal bonds and more.

A key part of the Rally was the annual meeting of the APPA L&R Committee where APPA members heard remarks from Alex Fitzsimmons, Director of the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, for the U.S. Department of Energy. Director Fitzsimmons discussed many of the issues that were priorities to AMP and OMEA, including the importance of baseload and dispatchable resources. Additionally, the L&R Committee adopted eight resolutions to guide APPA and public power’s advocacy efforts in 2026 and beyond. AMP and OMEA supported all the resolutions, which included reforming the Federal Energy Management Agency to provide more efficient response to disasters, promoting regulatory certainty, streamlining environmental reviews, and more. The full list of resolutions can be viewed at www.publicpower.org/policy/resolutions.

Throughout the week, AMP/OMEA Members met with 11 congressional members: Senators Jon Husted (R-OH) and Bernie Moreno (R-OH); and Representatives Troy Balderson (R-OH), Mike Carey (R-OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Bob Latta (R-OH), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Michael Rulli (R-OH), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Dave Taylor (R-OH), and Riley Moore (R-WV).

In addition, AMP/OMEA Members met with congressional staff from eight offices: Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA); and Representatives Ben Cline (R-VA), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Dave Joyce (R-OH), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Jim Jordan (R-OH).

AMP Members from Kentucky, Michigan and Pennsylvania also met with lawmakers from their districts to share concerns about issues affecting their municipal electric systems.