By the time you read this, American citizens will have elected a president to serve for the next four years and a new Congress.Regardless of who wins, AUSA will work with the new administration and the new Congress to educate them about the needs of the Army and the Association’s legislative agenda.Before that happens, however, I have great news to report on congressional attendance at the just completed Annual Meeting and Exposition held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in late October.On Sunday before the meeting began, more than 65 congressional staffers ran the Army Ten-Miler.At the convention center, staffers visited the meeting site – touring exhibits, attending breakfasts and seminars and visiting unit hospitality suites.Rep Mike Rogers, R-Ala., spent two hours touring exhibits, and Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, met with senior Army leaders and Fort Bliss stake holders.The House and Senate were in recess and most members were back home campaigning to keep their seats, but with their bosses back in the districts, more House and Senate staffers were able to take the opportunity to meet with top Army leadership to discuss critical issues facing the Army and also to meet with key defense industry leaders and view the latest technology in the exhibit halls.This year’s Congressional Staff Breakfast was the best attended congressional event in the Association’s history, with AUSA President Gen. Gordon Sullivan, USA, Ret., hosting 678 attendees.More than 275 key congressional staff members were among that number – also a record breaking number.The event featured two speakers.Army Under Secretary Dr. Joseph Westphal provided his view of the state of the Army to the gathering which included top leaders of the Army, both military and civilian.After he spoke, the Army chief of staff, Gen. Raymond Odierno, addressed the group and described the way forward as the Army continues to provide service to the nation and strength for the future.The breakfast is a way for AUSA to thank staffers for all they do for the nation and the armed forces in the course of their work.Later, more than 20 staffers attended the Dwight D. Eisenhower Luncheon to hear the chief of staff speak, and 30 staffers and their guests attended the George Catlett Marshall Dinner to hear the acceptance speech by former Secretary of State James Baker.So the Annual Meeting was a roaring success.Now, AUSA begins the long road toward next year’s meeting with the expectation that it will be even bigger and better than this year.Concurrent with the Annual Meeting, the AUSA Resolutions Committee completed its draft legislative resolutions, and AUSA chapters are voting on them as this column goes to press.Once the votes are tallied, the resolutions will be posted on the AUSA website and then printed in hard copy for distribution to the Congress and key military and civilian leaders nationwide.Next year, the government affairs staff will use them as our guide to legislative advocacy.I have one final bit of news for those of you who get federal retirement checks and Social Security checks.The cost of living increase has just been announced – 1.7 percent.So, we can say with certainty that your check will increase by that percentage in January 2013.Don’t spend it all in one place and be sure to save some for that AUSA membership renewal. We would love to have you as a reader of the "View from the Hill" next year.Please stay with us as we engage with those on Capitol Hill to authorize and fund programs that will help our Army keep the nation safe and provide a high quality of life for soldiers and their families.