Celebrating America’s Everglades in Washington, D.C.

The Everglades Foundation brought dozens of partners, board members, and clean water advocates to Washington, D.C. for a powerful two days of celebration and conversation in support of America’s Everglades. From a memorable evening at the National Archives Museum to a full day of meetings on Capitol Hill, the message remains clear: Everglades Restoration Is Working — and It’s Worth It.

The evening of June 9, Everglades supporters gathered for the America’s Everglades Dinner, held in one of the most iconic settings in our nation’s capital, the National Archives Museum, home to the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

With America’s 250th anniversary of independence on the horizon, the evening carried a special sense of significance. Guests dined in the presence of our founding documents and enjoyed remarks about the importance of America’s Everglades and the continued federal commitment to restoration, including the Trump administration’s collaboration with the State of Florida to expedite the completion of the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir by five years. The evening concluded with closing remarks by U.S. Representative Brian Mast, who reinforced the strong Congressional support behind Everglades restoration.

This year, The Everglades Foundation was also proud to present the 2026 America’s Everglades Champion Award to two longtime Everglades supporters whose bipartisan leadership has been instrumental in moving restoration forward. U.S. Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), the Dean of Florida’s Congressional delegation and Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), a Senior Member of the House Appropriations Committee and its Energy and Water subcommittees, were recognized for their bipartisan leadership in helping secure billions of dollars in critical restoration funding.

On June 10, the energy from the dinner carried right into Capitol Hill. Following a breakfast briefing, 75 Foundation supporters and environmental partners fanned out across the Senate and House office buildings for a full day of meetings with the bipartisan Florida Delegation and members of Congress from across the country.

The teams met with dozens of elected officials and their staff, celebrating the historic bipartisan support behind restoring and protecting the source of drinking water for millions and a trillion-dollar economic asset. The message on the Hill was simple and resounding: Restoration is working, and it’s worth it.