60th Washington Conference gets underway March 5

American Legion National Commander James “Bill” Oxford will present the organization’s legislative priorities before members of Congress as part of the 60th Annual Washington Conference in the nation’s capital. Oxford will testify beginning at 10 a.m. ET on March 11. The testimony will be streamed live via the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

The Washington Conference kicks off March 5 with a career planning and hiring event hosted by The American Legion and Hiring Our Heroes. The conference also will include meetings of The American Legion’s Legislative, National Security, Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, and Veterans Employment and Education commissions.

The March 10 Commander’s Call will be live-streamed via The American Legion National Headquarters Facebook page and will include addresses from Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, Rep. Mac Thornberry, Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Mark Takano. Following the Commander’s Call, Legionnaires will head to Capitol Hill to meet with their respective members of Congress.

Other events and workshops taking place during the Washington Conference at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave. NW., include a March 9 Friends & Partners: The Diamond Jubilee of the U.S.-Japan Alliance roundtable featuring former U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. and Japanese Ambassador Kazutoshi Aikawa among its participants, a dinner for the 2019 Samsung American Legion Scholarship recipients, an Access to Capital Roundtable March 6 and a Veterans Small Business Roundtable March 11.

Also during the conference, The American Legion Media & Communications team will be on site at the concourse level to give members of The American Legion Family an opportunity to share their American Legion story. Those who participate will be able to tell why they joined the Legion Family, and share what inspires them and what they are striving to build for the next generation of veterans.

A videographer from the Media & Communications team will be on site at the booth for on-camera interviews from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. March 8, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. March 9 and 8 a.m.-noon March 10.

Follow coverage of the Washington Conference online here and via social media using the hashtag #WashConf2020.