The Airforwarders Association has appointed Diakon Partners’ Michael Taylor as a lobbyist to help maintain its pressure on US Congress for urgent investment in air cargo infrastructure at US airports.
Taylor will represent the interests and concerns of both AfA and partners the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA).
His key objectives include education of key members of Congress about the economic importance of air cargo, the critical need for investment in air cargo at US airports, recommended actions, and the costs of inaction.
He will also campaign to gain support from influential Members of Congress sitting on the Appropriations Committees to support the effort decongestion effort.
Taylor has more than 30 years of government and public affairs experience at the international, federal, state, and local levels, along with more than 15 years of experience in multimodal transportation policy.
AfA executive director, Brandon Fried, commented: “AfA’s engagement of Mr Michael Taylor in this critical role will greatly enhance our efforts to convince members of Congress of the urgent need to strengthen US air cargo, to enable it to thrive as the critical link it is in the global supply chain and to protect the many thousands of jobs it creates.
“Both AfA and the NCBFAA set up the Congestion Committee in 2022 to conduct an inquiry and its findings were conclusive that investment in air cargo infrastructure at federal level across the US was vital.
“Having sustained the aviation industry and, in large measure, regional economies and the morale of the population, both AfA and NCBFAA members are reliant on investment if air cargo infrastructure is to be able to support the demands of the sector for the future.”