The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) officially opened its Washington, D.C. office on June 1, 2022. NTRA’s new presence in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the hiring of President and CEO, former Congressman Tom Rooney, will increase the Association’s federal presence and advocacy efforts.

“I’ve been hired and tasked to go to Washington and be the voice of the Thoroughbred racing industry to our nation’s policy makers,” said President and CEO Tom Rooney. “Having spent a decade in Congress, I know how Washington works. The biggest part of that is by showing up and being in person. By opening this office, we’ll be able to spend lots of time on the Hill, advocating for the industry, and making the voice of horse racing heard in Washington.”

Situated a stone’s throw from Capitol Hill, the NTRA office will be fully staffed and open for visitors. Rooney and newly hired Washington, D.C. based staff will be available to the Thoroughbred racing constituency.

ABOUT THE NTRA

The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing through consensus-based leadership, legislative advocacy, safety and integrity initiatives, fan engagement and corporate partner development. For more information visit NTRA.com.

ABOUT NTRA PRESIDENT AND CEO TOM ROONEY

Tom Rooney served the people of Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2009 to 2019, focusing primarily on economic, agricultural, national security, and military issues. Prior to serving in Congress, Rooney served with the U.S. Army as a lawyer in the JAG Corps. During his tenure, he was Special Assistant U.S Attorney at Fort Hood, Texas, prosecuting all civilian crimes on post in the 1st Cavalry Division. After completing active duty with the rank of Captain, Rooney taught constitutional and criminal law at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He received his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and became a member of the Florida Bar in 1999. He also has an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida. Rooney played football for Syracuse University and Washington & Jefferson College, where he earned a B.A. in English Literature. Rooney is married to Tara and they have three sons.