On September 29, 2003, the DGA PAC Leadership Council hosted its first East Coast luncheon with guest Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), one of the most prominent members in the Senate. These ongoing Leadership Council meetings provide for a free and open exchange of ideas, giving elected officials the opportunity to hear filmmakers' unique perspective on industry issues of special concern to the Guild. The discussion with Senator Clinton covered the status of the DGA's federal effort to combat runaway film and television production, copyright protection and the threat of piracy in its many forms.

"Our biggest export is intellectual property. Runaway production is part of a larger global issue in keeping competitive with countries that have highly subsidized economies such as Canada, as well as countries with low-cost production and labor." –Senator Clinton

Taylor Hackford, Chair of the DGA PAC and Co-chair of the Leadership Council and host of the luncheon, felt that the meeting was highly beneficial. "Our meeting with Senator Clinton was an important opportunity for us, because we value the fact that through her support, she can help impress her fellow Senators on the importance of issues of concern to directors and those who work as part of our team — from runaway film and television production to copyright protection and internet piracy."

During the lunch, Senator Clinton expressed her own recognition of the problem of runaway production and her awareness of its particular impact on New York and the Northeast. She demonstrated a thorough understanding of both the issue and its importance to the U.S. economy. "Our biggest export is intellectual property. Runaway production is part of a larger global issue in keeping competitive with countries that have highly subsidized economies such as Canada, as well as countries with low-cost production and labor." Senator Clinton continued by stating that the "U.S. is increasingly stuck in the middle" and that remaining economically competitive through creative economic incentives is one way to level the playing field on both ends of the spectrum and encourage production in America.

Speaking frankly to members about the legislative process, she took the Leadership Council through some of the specifics of the legislative process using the then current runaway production bill S. 1316 as an example. She also expressed her strong support for copyright protections, citing her own recent experience with the unauthorized editing of her autobiography, Living History in China.

Among the Leadership Council members attending the event were Taylor Hackford, Tim Robbins, Andrew Bergman, John Bowab, Henry Bronchtein and Katy Garretson.