Among the seven stops made by members of the Gulf Coast Chamber coalition during last week’s fly-in to the offices of U.S. senators was that of U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy. Joining Cassidy were several members of his staff, each an expert on one of the seven priorities discussed during these meetings on Capitol Hill. Pictured around the table, from left, are Greater Pensacola Chamber CEO Todd Thomson; SWLA Chamber CEO Scott Walker; Senator Cassidy; Lacey Osborne; New Orleans Chamber CEO Sandra Lindquist; and former U.S. Congressman and Mobile Chamber CEO Bradley Byrne.

The 2025 I-10 Gulf Coast Chamber Coalition D.C. Fly-In was held September 9–11. Chamber CEOs from Pensacola, Mobile, St. Tammany, New Orleans and SWLA/Lake Charles met with seven members of Congress to outline the pressing priorities facing Gulf Coast communities. The delegation urged federal leaders to advance policies and funding that support resilience, affordability and economic security.

Key issues included the rising cost of flood insurance—particularly the lack of transparency in rate-setting and how elevation data, flood maps and floodplain designations impact pricing—as well as disaster response and recovery, coastal protection, fisheries, the marine economy and public safety.

The coalition’s message was clear: protecting the Gulf Coast protects America’s economy.

Learn more about the coalition’s federal priorities here.