A group of freshman lawmakers made The Heritage Foundation one of their first stops after Election Day for the biannual New Members Orientation.
This year, more than half of the newly elected members of Congress attended Heritage’s orientation program on Nov. 10.
The program is designed for the freshman representatives to engage with conservative movement leaders and Heritage policy experts prior to taking their official oath. Heritage’s program, which happens before the official congressional orientation hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives, provides an early access point for the soon-to-be lawmakers.
Heritage has held the orientation since 1994 and has played host to numerous conservative thought leaders, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and former Speaker Newt Gingrich. Even amid a global pandemic, Heritage found a way to hold the event. For the first time ever, Heritage held the event virtually.
"The 2020 New Members Orientation was a huge success,” said Dani Doane, director of congressional programs at Heritage. “Over 55% of the newly elected incoming freshman class attended the half-day session. Included in this were nearly 70% of the freshman women. This group represents a record-setting number of Republican women in the House.”
The meeting was hosted by Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James and Tommy Binion, Heritage’s vice president of government relations.
During this year’s New Members Orientation, attendees heard from James, McCarthy, Gingrich, and Republican Study Committee Leader Jim Banks. They also received a policy update on the 2021 congressional agenda from Paul Winfree, director of the Heritage’s Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies and Richard F. Aster fellow.
During the orientation, the incoming representatives were particularly concerned about the issue of law and order in America. Many of them signed Heritage Action’s police pledge aimed at showing appreciation for our first responders. In addition, they discussed pro-market health care reform solutions such as Heritage’s Health Care Choices proposal.
