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Agriculture and Food VSA principals possess extensive knowledge of agriculture and food policy, with years of experience on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Agriculture. Our principals understand the legal, regulatory, policy and political issues surrounding food and agricultural issues. The complexity of federal programs in these areas requires an understanding of all facets of agricultural policy and of how these programs interrelate. VSA has successfully represented clients before Congress and the executive branch in the areas of agriculture credit, biotechnology, commodity marketing and procurement, commodity programs, conservation and environment, domestic and foreign food assistance, food safety, international trade, nutrition, research, and rural development. We use our experience to help clients chart a course through the labyrinth of the legislative process and to influence the implementation of programs by the executive branch. We also assist clients with federal marketing strategies at USDA. Our agriculture and food practice includes representation of food and agribusiness companies, and technology companies that are at the forefront of providing technology solutions to USDA and agribusiness. We also represent major land grant universities that perform critical agricultural research to enhance and protect our food supply. VSA expertise in agriculture and food includes:
Biomedical Research Because of its core strength in science funding policy, VSA has a significant expertise in biomedical research policy. We have been a central player in the multi-year effort to double funding for the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the broader effort to increase federal funding for U.S. civilian and national security research and development. VSA has also worked extensively on regulatory and legislative restrictions on science, tax policy affecting research, and science authorizations. VSA successfully represents: large national professional and scientific associations; prominent academic health centers; consortia of life sciences advocates; and numerous prestigious academic health centers in support of their advocacy for individual institutional goals. VSA expertise in biomedical research includes:
Biotechnology The dynamic field of biotechnology represents a fascinating set of interdisciplinary technologies whose development, application, and use involve academia, industry and the consumer. Applications range from the pharmaceutical and health care industries to agriculture and homeland security. With a similar interdisciplinary approach, VSA’s biotechnology expertise is based in cross-cutting practice areas that include biomedical research, acquisition policy for pharmaceutical products, R&D policy, tax policy, health care, agriculture and food. Among the clients we represent are: the pharmaceutical industry; biomedical foundations; disease-related associations; individual and consortia of universities with biotechnology programs; and agricultural, pulp and paper organizations. VSA expertise in biotechnology includes:
Defense The Pentagon research, development and procurement processes can be enormously complex and confusing. VSA provides our clients with unparalleled insight and technical expertise in areas such as defense research and development, procurement, operations and maintenance, and base closure. The in-depth experience of VSA principals in defense authorization and appropriations enables us, on behalf of our clients, to shape defense-related legislation and investments proactively. Our substantive knowledge, access, and bipartisan approach to problem solving are true “force multipliers” in today's highly competitive Pentagon procurement arena for those seeking to transact business with the uniformed services and civilian defense communities. We specialize in working closely with clients that include major aerospace prime contractors, small disadvantaged businesses, communities, and academic institutions to better understand policy and investment trends and to identify and develop capture strategies for priority opportunities. VSA expertise in defense includes:
Education Education continues to be a top priority at the national, state and local levels. VSA, through its highly experienced professionals, is assisting in the development of a number of critical education initiatives. Our professionals bring expertise in education policy as a result of their significant experience with the authorizing and appropriations committees responsible for education and human resource issues. We represent educational organizations from local school districts as well as for-profit and not-for-profit entities, colleges, and graduate institutions. Among our clients are: the world’s largest testing company; the largest U.S. tutoring services provider; the largest online university; the largest private university; the largest school management company; the leading not-for-profit education finance company and the largest producer of audio textbooks for those with print disabilities. We also work with a number of the largest associations that represent librarians, public television stations, publishers, college and universities accreditors, charter schools, education reformers, the Education Commission of the States, and minority serving institutions, including a consortium of more than 100 historically black colleges and universities. VSA expertise in education includes:
Energy And Natural Resources VSA has long represented clients on issues affecting the regulation and supply of energy in the United States. We have represented several electric utilities on electricity restructuring, global climate and air pollution issues. We have also assisted clients on traditional energy research and supply issues, and in obtaining tax credits and other funding assistance for development of alternative or renewable fuels. VSA represents major contractors who conduct environmental remediation activities for the Department of Energy, as well as universities conducting research on technology and proliferation issues. Our efforts have produced multiple major contract awards and funding support needed to keep programs current. We are also well-versed in matters relating to nuclear weapons research, development and manufacturing, security, and in the clean-up of contaminated waste sites. VSA expertise in energy and natural resources includes:
Environment VSA professionals have significant environmental experience gained on Capitol Hill and at various federal government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of the Interior (DOI), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through the appropriations process, VSA principals have been very successful in helping clients secure funding from programs administered by the EPA, and the Departments of Energy and Interior, as well as environmental funds from the Department of Defense. We also assist our clients in complying with federal regulations and in obtaining the federal resources needed for environmental research initiatives. VSA expertise in the environment includes:
Financial Services VSA financial services professionals are experts in the issues considered by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, and the House Financial Services Committee. As former staffers for key members on these committees, they have been instrumental in the formulation and passage of: the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996, the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. VSA’s team also has extensive experience with federal regulatory agencies, Fortune 50 corporations, major trade as sociations and leading think tanks. We have established a successful record of assisting leaders in the financial services industry with the development and implementation of effective political risk management and issue advocacy strategies, with a unique expertise in the use of the appropriations process to implement these strategies. Our ability to design, coordinate and execute has been especially important as financial services institutions seek to influence the interpretation of and implementation of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, the USA Patriot Act of 2001, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003. We believe VSA’s experienced, bi-partisan team can provide our clients the superior representation necessary to succeed in Washington. VSA’s expertise in financial services issues includes:
Healthcare VSA has been involved in many of the most important healthcare policy debates facing our country, including health insurance coverage and liability, managed care and HMO reform, Medicare reimbursement and prescription drug coverage reform, bioterrorism preparedness, screening of infectious diseases, and funding of cutting-edge research and graduate medical education. We have represented hospitals and other health care providers, the health insurance industry and world-class pharmaceutical clients during health care debates, the annual reconciliation changes to the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and the appropriations debates on funding. We have also been instrumental in the formation of several coalitions that have enabled organizations and institutions with similar goals to design agendas and speak with a unified voice on issues of concern to the health and medical education communities. VSA expertise in healthcare includes:
Homeland security Homeland security has emerged as a critical national priority following the events of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent anthrax attacks. The subject entails a comprehensive, nationwide campaign to protect America’s people, assets and treasure against a wide range of current and evolving terrorist threats. As federal, state and local governments reorganize and restructure to address U.S. homeland threats, concerned citizens, businesses, universities and other public and private sectors are seeking to contribute to homeland security and defense to leverage their respective skills and technologies to support the war against terrorism. Combining our vast issue and process expertise with innovative business development and legislative strategies, VSA is able to effectively harness a client’s core capabilities to maximize competitiveness for federal grants and create new and expanded business opportunities in homeland security. Our unique expertise, relationships, and access to all levels of key executive agencies, such as the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, State and the intelligence community and legislatures enable VSA to provide unparalleled support to those who want to participate in homeland security. Our substantive ongoing activities within the fields of national defense, energy, homeland security, and science and technology provide unique synergies with evolving homeland security and defense imperatives. VSA expertise in homeland security includes:
Information Technology Information technology (IT) is responsible for a myriad of new businesses and products, business restructurings, workplace changes, education and training approaches, health care delivery, and ways of handling personal business and social responsibilities. IT is changing the way that departments and agencies of government do business, on the federal, state and local levels. IT has also changed the way that research is undertaken at colleges, universities and other research institutions across the nation, providing new opportunities for research design, collaborations with distant colleagues and use of remote equipment. At the same time, new capabilities have raised new issues regarding service, access and policy. The VSA professionals have broad experience in developing proposals and projects, securing funding and implementing new systems based on advances in computing and networking capabilities. VSA successfully represents: large and small information technology companies, assisting clients in the capture of business transformation and system engineering efforts for most Federal civil, homeland security and national security agencies; academic institutions and university consortia involved in major information technology research and development activities; and state and municipal governments. VSA expertise in information technology includes:
International Affairs Over the last several years, VSA has been called on to develop and implement comprehensive strategies for United States-based companies seeking to expand their access in both commercial and government markets outside the United States. As we established overseas contacts to assist in furthering our clients’ objectives, we established relationships with host governments who want representation in Washington on issues whose resolution would be advantageous both to their government and to the government of the United States. Drawing on the rich foreign affairs experience of our principals, VSA also helps foreign governments establish productive political, economic and security relationships with the United States government and Congress. In the defense and foreign relations arena, VSA principals have both congressional and executive branch experience in all political, economic and security aspects of key bilateral relationships throughout the world. Specifically, the firm’s principals have worked on international treaties, such as Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), Strategic Arms Reduction (START) 1 and 2 and Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE). In addition, VSA principals have had extensive government experience on policy issues related to the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, as well as foreign military base rights, peacekeeping and export policy control. Among our principals are veterans of the National Security Council and the Departments of State and Defense who have successfully implemented legislative strategies on behalf of foreign governments. VSA expertise in international affairs includes:
Municipal And Community Development VSA principals represent a number of governmental and private sector entities with an interest in municipal and community development issues. We provide executive level consultation to governors, state cabinet heads, mayors, city councils, department heads, counties, Chambers of Commerce and other government and non-governmental entities. One focus of our practice involves drafting legislation and securing federal funding for projects in a number of areas, including transportation, health, economic/community development, homeland security, housing, education, employment and training, water resources, law enforcement, agriculture and other areas. In addition to these efforts, we often are called upon to assist in the modification of federal regulations and policies, such as Medicare, tax, and other federal directives that affect state, county and municipal revenue streams, or that may otherwise adversely impact our clients’ interests. VSA principals work closely with the White House, Congress and federal agencies to ensure the most timely and effective communications on our clients’ behalf. VSA expertise in municipal and community development includes:
Research and Development Since our founding, VSA has maintained a strong practice in R&D policy development and in securing funding for research projects at institutions nationwide. Several of our nation’s most prestigious research universities now entrust significant portions of their research funding needs to VSA. Our clients also include several prominent university associations, e.g. those representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and organizations involved in astronomy, public health, and water resources. We match a client’s current and emerging research strengths with new or pressing national needs, develop a strategy and message, and work with the Congress and executive branch agencies to secure funding for critical research, infrastructure, and capacity building projects. VSA expertise in R & D includes:
Space We bring to our clients a direct partnership in America’s space program, and the knowledge of the benefits of space exploration for complementary research, development and procurement opportunities. Our work includes policy impact and funding advocacy for all aspects of civilian and military space activities, ranging from human space flight development and operations, to leading unmanned scientific missions in the solar system, including the Hubble Space Telescope and the New Horizons mission to Pluto. Our work includes efforts to assist those in flight and ground operations, as well as earth science remote sensing and commercial aeronautics. Several of today’s leading space science research institutions and NASA contractors have found in VSA the professionals they need to successfully influence public policy in Congress and the executive branch. One of our most notable recent successes involving the space program was assisting a client to reverse termination of a major mission in space science costing more than half a billion dollars. VSA expertise in the space program includes:
Taxes VSA successfully uses its considerable expertise in tax matters to gain favorable results for a broad range of clients. The VSA tax professionals have worked to secure changes in the Internal Revenue Code, as well as the Department of the Treasury’s regulations affecting health care, natural resources, pharmaceutical, communications, real estate, utilities, and renewable energy industries, among others. Additionally, VSA has played a significant role in Internal Revenue Service (IRS) administrative matters, including the regulatory process, management reorganization, and contract procurement. We have more than thirteen years of experience representing taxpayers ranging from small businesses to Fortune 50 corporations, as well as governmental and charitable non-profit institutions. VSA expertise in taxes includes:
Technology Modernization VSA principals have played key roles in various federal technology modernization initiatives, including the largest modernization program undertaken by the federal government: the restructuring of the Internal Revenue Service. VSA provides assistance in mission definition, stakeholder relations, business process reengineering, and legislative relations. Our clients include some of the nations largest information technology companies, as well as small and mid-size firms, including 8(a) entities. VSA expertise in technology modernization includes:
Telecommunications and Emerging Technologies Quality government relations representatives must understand more than the art of government; to be effective, they must appreciate the need for and intricacies of a spectrum of disciplines. And then integrate them into a total solution. We at VSA work with client partners with varying levels of government relations experience. For many, especially in the telecommunications area, we have worked closely with the client to design effective government relations strategies that consider and use internal communications, budgetary and decision-making procedures, as well as effective political/legislative strategies with grassroots, policy research, and public relations components essential for success. We take great pride in our work with telecommunications clients. Because of the rapid evolution of the industry, our clients must be able to adapt quickly to public policy changes that result from the emergence of new technologies like Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and wireless Internet access such as WiFi. Our experience in successfully representing clients through legislative and regulatory issues such as Universal Service, enhanced-911 and spectrum policy issues is unparalleled in Washington. Our success in this area stems from comprehensive government relations strategies, including research and development, procurement, taxation and depreciation, international trade matters, and regulation. VSA expertise in telecommunications and emerging technologies includes:
Trade In the international trade arena, VSA provides support to clients on reciprocal trade agreements, international financing and development issues, as well as export administration and promotion issues. In the free trade agreement arena, VSA principals served in key policy positions in the Congress and the Administration during the consideration of every completed free trade agreement (FTA) including the US-Israel Free Trade Agreement in 1986, the US-Canada Free Trade Agreement in 1988, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1993 and the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement in 2001. VSA expertise in trade includes:
Transportation and Infrastructure A primary strength of VSA is its expertise in transportation and infrastructure investment. First and foremost, VSA has been successful in securing federal funding for infrastructure development, including airport expansion, water infrastructure, highway construction, intermodal facilities, port development, light rail and subway construction, and transit bus operations. In addition, VSA works to ensure that new program and policy initiatives that benefit our clients are included in major legislation. We also have had great success securing funds for research and development in support of emerging technologies that enhance transportation safety and security. In addition to helping transportation clients navigate on Capitol Hill, VSA works closely with senior officials at the White House, Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, and the Army Corp of Engineers on transportation issues, ensuring that our clients’ concerns are heard and considered. Our principals have experience at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, enabling VSA to successfully address all transportation regulatory and infrastructure investment issues. VSA expertise in transportation and infrastructure includes:
Water Resources and Infrastructure VSA has considerable expertise working with the authorization and appropriations committees of Congress on issues affecting water infrastructure and resources, as well as within the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency. This important experience enables VSA to work effectively with clients in identifying a federal nexus to their particular water-related needs and assist them in securing funding for water resources programs and initiatives. Clients depend on VSA to help guide them through the complex nature and interrelation of federal water programs of various congressional committees and executive branch agencies that encompass the federal water arena. VSA expertise in water resources and infrastructure includes:
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