Grassroots Events
The NRC established its grassroots program in 2012 to give U.S. Members of Congress firsthand exposure to and knowledge of rail industry operations from constituents and other professionals who work in the industry. Since then, the NRC has coordinated dozens of grassroots events at NRC member facilities and construction project sites. These events have helped Members of Congress understand how rail contractors and suppliers positively affect the rail industry and contribute to the local and national economy.
NRC members who host grassroots events report their companies have gained positive publicity, established constructive relationships with their congressional members, and built strong contacts for the NRC and member companies to connect with when advocating for rail industry issues on Capitol Hill.
Hosting a grassroots event requires little advance work by the member company but generates a tremendous amount of goodwill and common ground between railway professionals and Member of Congress.
Interested in learning more about Scheduling a Grassroots Event? Connect with Mike McGonagle, the NRC's Vice President of Operations, by email.
I highly recommend hosting a grassroots event. Our event helped EVRAZ establish a connection with our elected officials. They gained a better understanding of the value we create for the local economy and our industry. The meeting also motivated our employees. They know that their elected officials find value in what they do. At our facility in Pueblo, we toured the construction of our new, long-rail mill and the solar farm that provides up to 90 percent of the energy we consume. Providing this exposure to our growth and green energy projects has generated good PR to our company and for the railway supply community too.
Senior Vice President, Pueblo Business Unit
EVRAZ North America
