Fly-ins blossom as Congress returns from recess

Both cherry blossoms and spring fly-ins are in full bloom, with more than two dozen groups visiting congressional offices this week. The peak day for advocates looks to be Wednesday, with advocates for the golf, transportation, supermarket and hospitality industries all on Capitol Hill.

National Golf Day tees off Wednesday with members of several trade groups touting the economic and fitness impact of the impact of the industry. The We Are Golf coalition includes the Club Managers Association of America, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, National Golf Course Owners Association and the PGA Tour.

More than 500 transportation design and construction executives will push Congress to fix the highway trust fund Wednesday as part of the Transportation Construction Coalition fly-in. The coalition includes 31 trade groups and labor unions, and is co-chaired by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association and Associated General Contractors of America.

The Recording Academy kicks off its 11th GRAMMYs on the Hill with a star-studded musical evening Wednesday. The Academy will present singer and songwriter Alicia Keys with the Recording Artists' Coalition Award, and also honor Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) for their "support and understanding of music creators' unique role in American life." Hundreds of music professionals are expected to visit congressional offices Thursday.

The National Grocers Association, Food Marketing Institute and Food Industry Association Executives join forces for the Supermarket Industry Fly-In. ? The National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association are also working together on a hospitality Hill day. About 1,000 stakeholders from both groups are expected to make congressional visits Wednesday.

The National Water Policy Forum, Fly-In & Expo brings together the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Water Environment Federation, Water Environment Research Foundation and the WateReuse Association.

Healthy eyes and teeth will be the focus of several groups: The American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology hold separate advocacy events. The American Association for Dental Research and the American Dental Education Association team up for their annual advocacy day, and the American Dental Student Association will also hold its lobby day. Other health-related groups visiting congressional offices include the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Association for Clinical and Translational Science and the American Federation for Medical Research will kick off their meeting with Hill visits Thursday.

Other groups holding fly-ins or legislative conferences this week include: NAMB—The Association of Mortgage Professionals?, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Professional Background Screeners, Wine America along with the Winegrape Growers of America, American Beverage Association, American Supply Association, Biotechnology Industry Organization, ACA International—The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals, American Bar Association and Motor & Equipment Remanufacturers Association.