The Dalles Community Outreach Team made one of its twice a year visits to Washington, D.C. last month, just before the federal shutdown.  Rather than emphasizing funding projects, this time the group emphasized policies, most notably involving agriculture.  Port of The Dalles Executive Director Andrea Klaas says they were suggesting changes to help growers who have had to spend more on wages through the Workforce Modernization Act.  Since the trip, Klaas noted the Department of Labor had reduced some of those requirements, so growers should see some wage relief next year.  The group also pushed for restoration of funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Payment In Lieu of Tax programs.