The UPMA 2026 Legislative Summit

The Legislative Summit allows UPMA to continue to build our legislative and
political success by partnering with a team of government relations strategists in
Washington, DC. Delegates will receive training to discuss legislative issues that
UPMA is currently working on. On Tuesday all delegates will visit Ohio
congressional and senatorial offices to discuss these issues. Please reach out to
your Chapter President if you are interested in attending.

2026 LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT: from Dave Cook, UPMAR Legislative Chm

The 2026 UPMA Legislative Summit will take place at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport from March 15 - 17, 2025. A Town Hall meeting will be held in the afternoon on Sunday, March 15. Training sessions will be held on Monday, March 16 beginning at 8:30 AM and expected to conclude by 5:00 PM. Tuesday, March 17, will be invested with visits on Capitol Hill. Necessary materials for Capitol Hill will be provided on Monday, March 16. For more information, visit www.unitedpma.org, click on Events, Then National Events, then Legislative.

March 15-17, 2026 – Legislative Summit - https://www.unitedpma.org/2026-legislative-summit/

• Registration
  • The registration fee is $100 per person on or before February 13, 2026. Starting February 14, 2026 the registration fee is $150 per person.
  • Registration Cancellation Policy: Cancellation requests must be submitted via email to UPMA@crispevents.me. Requests received on or before February 13, 2026 will be assessed a $40 cancellation fee per person. Cancellations received on or after February 14, 2026, will not receive a refund. Tickets for cancelled registrants are not available for use by other registrants. Registration transfers (name changes) are not permitted.
• Reservations at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport
  • UPMA rates are available until February 27, 2026 or until the room block is sold out, whichever comes first.
  • A one-night deposit is required upon booking. The deposit is refundable for cancellations received no later than January 15, 2026.

Legislative Week - Why is it so important?
Each year, the UPMA nationwide sends it’s membership to Washington, D.C. to confer with their
respective Legislators, both House and Senate from the Districts they reside in. These consultations are about matters that affect our membership such as health care, retirement provisions and yes, issues concerning the postal service in general. This is how we were able to affect the latest postal reform bill recently passed which provided relief from unfunded healthcare mandates that have burdened the postal service for years. But the job isn’t over.
    This year, UPMA went “up the hill” to discuss a variety of issues including the WEP/GPO bills that address unfair compensation from Social Security and other matters affecting retirees who are eligible but are denied their benefits. After a day long session with UPMA leadership and a briefing from the PMG Louis DeJoy, we were empowered to take on the task of addressing the respective congressional representatives and their staff on the matters we had chosen for consideration.
    On Tuesday, March 19th, we journeyed to Capitol Hill and the various congressional office buildings to make our appointed rounds. Some of our members were fortunate to meet with their Representative or Senator while most worked with the staffers in each office. Ohio was well covered in that we ensured every elected member received a visit from us on this day. The conversations and dialog were both uplifting and informative. It was refreshing to hear that almost all were well aware of the legislative efforts underway and the majority of representatives who were a

co-sponsor of one bill or another. Because this is a major election year and the budget process is under huge constraints, the inner workings of what it takes to get a bill through is not a simple process.
    “UPMA has proven that IF we could persevere to get postal reform completed
just a short while ago, this too is not an insurmountable task.” - Paul Joseph
At the end of the day, everyone who was present felt a sense of accomplishment, pride and armed
with the knowledge that we had made a favorable impression on our elected officials and their staff.
This was due in part by communicating the plethora of accomplishments, impact on our communities
and the far reaching effects that the postal service brings to every citizen in the area we service.
For all the UPMA members (both active and retired) who attend Legislative Conference each year, it’s
not just a sight seeing trip, not just a glorified venture where you take a back seat or ‘hang out’ with
others. Everyone has a proactive role they play in visiting their actual elected Representative from
where they live. YOU are their constituent and yes, you have a right to be there.
This is true democracy at work and why we have a government in place.
WE are the reason government exists.
I would strongly ask that you consider making a trip in your future plans to attend the next Legislative
Conference with UPMA as it is because of our membership that we can affect change in Congress on
our behalf.
Every VOICE COUNTS and every member MATTERS when it comes to strength
in numbers!!!
A huge THANK YOU goes out to Postmaster (ret) Ted Gedeon who has served as our Legislative Chair
now for countless years, keeping our Ohio Chapter informed, scheduling appointments, and directing
the actions of Ohio year ‘round to ensure our voices are heard effectively and kept on point.
Ted’s tireless actions reflect great credit upon himself as a Leader, Mentor and above all else, an
Honorable Postmaster (ret) dedicated to the betterment of his community at large.
Paul Joseph - Ohio Chapter Editor