This week, BGR Group was proud to help support the AmChams of Asia Pacific’s (AAP) annual Door Knock in Washington.
The group of 45 participants from AAP countries, including Australia, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, met with U.S. policymakers to discuss the AAP’s role in advancing American commercial interests in the Asia-Pacific, sharing their perspectives from the frontlines for U.S. commercial diplomacy and addressing issues of mutual concern. The AmChams of the AAP serve as ambassadors representing the business community to promote standards and values in the region.
Led by AAP Chair Steve Okun, the delegation met with executive branch department and agency officials, including Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Kritenbrink, Deputy Assistant Secretary Lailee Moghtader from Treasury, Chief IPEF Negotiator Sharon Yuan (who received the 2024 Door Knock Delegation Award) from the Commerce Department, Deputy Assistant USTR Bart Thanhauser, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, White House Director of Public Engagement Mayor Steve Benjamin, and Commerce Under Secretary Marisa Lago. The second day at the U.S. Capitol included meetings with Senator Mark Kelly (AZ), who also received an AAP Door Knock Award; Representatives Carol Miller (WV), Rob Wittman (VA), Ami Bera (CA), Young Kim (CA), Haley Stevens (MI), and Buddy Carter (GA); and staff members for Speaker Mike Johnson (LA), the House China Select Committee, House Foreign Affairs Committee, bipartisan staff of the Senate Finance Committee, and Senator Chris Coons’ (DE) staff.
The AAP delegates also met with several think tanks, including the America First Policy Institute and Heritage Foundation, and received political briefings from former Governor of Virginia Terry McAuliffe; Mark Penn, Chairman of the Harris Poll; former Bush White House Political Director Sarah Fagen and former Biden 2020 Campaign Manager Greg Schultz; and BGR’s Jonathan Mantz and Loren Monroe.
