Richard Y. Hegg

Richard helps clients with Congress and the executive branch on a variety of domestic and international matters. He also has extensive legislative experience in general public policy analysis, planning, and appropriations matters. This includes complex legislative initiatives and their subsequent implementation, and assisting clients in incorporating public policy into their strategic planning, integrating public relations into their advocacy activities, and legislative drafting. 

Richard has provided legislative advocacy across a broad and diverse number of issues:

• Appropriations, including helping clients obtain federal funds through Congress with an emphasis on homeland security, defense, transportation, education, and energy matters
• Transportation, including assistance with the full funding of the Maritime Security Program (MSP), Jones Act advocacy, Title XI ship building loan guarantee program, short sea shipping, harbor maintenance tax, infrastructure banks, intermodal development, and public-private partnerships
• Homeland Security, including cargo security (maritime and aviation), aviation screening and scanning, federal building security, nuclear facility security, chemical facility security, port infrastructure security, rail and transit security, and urban area security grant programs
• Defense, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), body armor, veterans’ affairs, troop support and advocacy, major weapon systems, and procurement matters
• Foreign relations, including private security contractors, government contracting in theater, and Asian affairs
• Education, including children’s museums, post-secondary health worker education, higher education institution funding/grants, and educational exhibits
• Agriculture, including foreign currency trading matters and farm bill issues

Before joining Venable, Richard spent several years as legislative director for the Potomac Group, a consulting firm, where he gained substantial experience in policy analysis and issue advocacy. Prior to that, he assisted the 1998 Democratic Coordinated Campaign in South Carolina.