Leaders from the Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) traveled to Washington, D.C. this month for the 2026 DC Fly-In, meeting with federal policymakers and international partners to elevate Iowa’s growing role in the national technology and innovation landscape.

“TAI’s policy work is about making sure Iowa’s technology leaders and employers are part of the conversations shaping what comes next,” said Brian Waller, President of TAI. “In Washington, we focused on practical priorities that support growth across industries: clear and workable AI policy, the infrastructure capacity needed to meet accelerating demand, and stronger pathways for startups and innovators to access capital and scale. These meetings help ensure Iowa’s voice is heard, and Iowa’s interests are understood, as federal policy takes shape.”

During the visit, TAI met with members of Iowa’s congressional delegation, including Senator Joni Ernst, Congressman Zach Nunn, and the offices of Representatives Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks. In these discussions, TAI shared perspectives from Iowa’s technology sector and advanced federal policy priorities focused on:

• • • Establishing a clear, national, risk-based approach to artificial intelligence
    • Ensuring Iowa’s inclusion in efforts to expand energy and digital infrastructure capacity
    • Strengthening support for startups and innovation ecosystems through expanded access to capital and commercialization resources

Together, these priorities reflect the need for policy certainty, strategic investment, and intentional inclusion of emerging regions like Iowa in shaping the future of the U.S. innovation economy.

TAI also met with international and national leaders shaping technology policy, including David Paterson, Ontario’s Representative to the United States, to discuss the ongoing review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and its implications for North America’s technology and innovation sectors.

Additional engagement took place alongside national partners through the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA), where discussions focused on the future of a federal AI framework and the evolving relationship between technology and the workforce. Conversations with the U.S. Department of Labor explored how emerging technologies are reshaping jobs and expanding economic opportunity.

TAI’s presence in Washington reflects its ongoing commitment to building strong relationships with policymakers and ensuring Iowa’s technology industry has a voice in shaping federal policy. As innovation continues to accelerate, these conversations are critical to positioning Iowa—and the broader Midwest—as a leader in the future of technology.