The Annual HEP Advocacy Trip to Washington, D.C.

Each year, a delegation of 50-80 members of the high energy physics (HEP) community travel to Washington, D.C., to advocate for continued robust federal support for HEP research. Organized jointly by the US LHC Users Association, the Fermilab Users and Affiliates Executive Committee, and the SLAC Users Organization, this effort coordinates meetings with relevant executive agencies, key congressional committees, and all legislative offices, successfully scheduling meetings with nearly 70% of House and Senate offices in 2025. This program includes the development of visual and written advocacy materials, district-level funding reports, and a custom platform that matches advocates to meetings based on district connections and serves as a centralized repository for meeting records. Together, these efforts form a highly coordinated campaign that is generally regarded as one of the most effective advocacy efforts among scientific subfields. This talk will outline the strategy and organization behind the initiative, summarize key takeaways from recent trips, and discuss the near- and long-term outlook for HEP advocacy.