Boulé Delegation Returns to Capitol Hill for Third Trip and Meets With Lawmakers and With Two Members of Obama’s Cabinet

For the third time in the past year, a delegation of members of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity has visited Capitol Hill to meet with policy leaders and legislators. On April 21, 2010, Grand Sire Archon Robert L. Harris, Dennis Archer (chairman of the Public Policy Committee), James Payne (Grand Sire Archon-Elect designee), James O. Cole (chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee), George Strait (director of communications) and Charles Johnson (general counsel) spent the day in the Capital meeting with White House officials, legislators and two key members of President Obama’s Cabinet.

The day began in the West Wing of the White House with a meeting with Michael Blake and William O. Jawando of the Office of Public Engagement, where issues such as healthcare, energy, the economy and education were addressed. The importance of full economic recovery headlined the discussion. Administration officials stressed the necessity for support of the Miller “Local Jobs for America Act.”

That afternoon the delegation met with several congressional leaders, including Congressmen Gregory Meeks (NY) and Kendrick Meek (FL). Thereafter, a special meeting convened with Archons Bobby Scott and Elijah Cummings of the House of Representatives. Archon Scott arranged a surprise visit from Archon Eric Holder, the U.S. Attorney General and Obama Cabinet member, who was accompanied by the counselor to the Attorney General, Archon Monty Wilkinson (Sire Archon-Elect of Epsilon Boulé). The dialogue with the congressmen and the Attorney General covered issues of importance to the Boulé and the nation. According to Grand Sire Harris, “This meeting in Archon Scott’s office was historic and unprecedented in scope, where Archons were able to engage not only key legislators, but also the most powerful legal officer in the world, and they were all Archons. This is the essence of our mission," Archon Harris observed, "and exemplifies our theme that we are 'Boulé men doing great things.'”

The visit on the Hill ended with part of the delegation meeting with the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Barbara Lee of Oakland, California, while Grand Sire Archon Harris and Archon Archer met with Archon Ron Kirk, who is the U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador and Obama Cabinet member. Archons Kirk and Archer served as mayors of Dallas and Detroit, respectively, during the same time period. The meeting with Archon Kirk was refreshing, dealing with not only Boulé issues, but with issues of national and international impact.

The day ended with Grand Sire Archon Harris and Archon Cole attending an evening reception with Archon Marc Morial, president & CEO of the National Urban League (NUL), spotlighting the 100^th anniversary celebration of the NUL this July, where the Boulé will be one of the NUL’s centennial partners. Grand Sire Harris summed up the busy day on the Hill by noting, “There can be no question that the power and influence of the Boulé is not just awesome, but is essential to what makes this nation great.”