Why Engineers Should Brave Capitol Hill

When San Antonio–based software engineer Nikhil Jathar first went to Washington, D.C., to advocate for federal support for technology education and research funding, he was in awe of the opportunity. It was spring of 2025, not long after Jathar settled in the United States from India, when he got an invitation to join the annual Congressional Visits Day organized by IEEE-USA . “My first reaction was, ‘Wow, I get to visit Congress,’ ” says Jathar, CTO of AvanSaber , a business software company he cofounded in 2014. At the time, he did not have a specific lobbying position on behalf of the company. But he was intrigued by the invitation—which goes out to all U.S. IEEE members—and as he read more about congressional visits, his motivation deepened. He realized: “I need to try this. I want to see where it goes.” What’s Your Ask? Congressional staffers expect clarity from advocates. Be clear on what you plan to ask for when you arrive. Here are some common options: Cosponsor (or oppose) an existing bill or amendment. Preserve, remove, or modify legislative text in a bill under consideration. Add language to an appropriations bill or committee report. Ask a federal agency a specific over