National Restaurant Association
Director, Government Relations

Topics: Small business health plans, minimum wage, health care mandates, family and medical leave

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Brendan J. Flanagan National Restaurant Association Download high-resolution photo

As vice president of federal relations, Brendan Flanagan represents the National Restaurant Association on labor/workforce issues. He influences and tracks policy on health care, starting wage, union organization and paid leave, among other issues.

Flanagan has represented the restaurant industry on federal and state government issues for 14 years.

A key player in several leading business alliances, he is chairman of the Coalition for Job Opportunities (starting wage) and serves on the Executive Committee of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (union card check). He also is a member of the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition’s steering committee.

Before joining the National Restaurant Association staff, Flanagan was a lobbyist with the International Franchise Association, where he represented national and international retail chain businesses before Congress. He was responsible for tax issues, including depreciation and business-meal deductibility, as well as matters pertaining to franchise-relationship laws.

Flanagan spent six years as a lobbyist for the Restaurant Association of Maryland. He represented the industry on living-wage and health-care mandates, smoking and alcohol issues and meals taxes.

He also was a legislative aide for U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.) and Maryland State Sen. Leo Green (D). Flanagan is a graduate of the University of Maryland.

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