CapitolWire April 2011 by Bertelsmann Foundation

CapitolWire

Inspiring People. Shaping the Future.

The Brussels Connection to Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, DC 1101 New York Avenue, NW Suite 901 Washington, DC 20005 USA Contact: Tyson Barker Contact: Tyson E-mail: tyson.barker@bertelsmanntyson.barker@bertelsmann- foundation.org Tel: (+1) 202.384.1993 Tel: www.bertelsmann-foundation.org

BRUSSELS Résidence Palace Rue de la Loi 155 1040 Brussels, Belgium Contact: Thomas Fischer Contact: Thomas E-mail: E-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmannthomas.fischer@bertelsmannstiftung.de Tel: (+32 2) 280.2830 Tel: www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels

CapitolWire is a joint publication of the Bertelsmann Foundation offices in Washington, DC and Brussels. It connects the European Parliament to Congressional policy and politics, and contributes to a common trans-Atlantic political culture. CapitolWire is an occasional publication that highlights issues, legislation and policymakers relevant to the European Parliament’s legislative cycle. This publication also looks at the Congress from the point of view of European Parliament staffers and offers timely operational analysis.

The New Congress: Who’s Who for Europe With the headwind from the November 2010 victories and a Senate electoral landscape that looks increasingly promising for a takeover in 2012, the Republicans in Congress have turned their attention to austerity and budget cuts. The current US debt stands at $14.3 trillion or 96.5% of GDP, with an estimated deficit of $1.4 trillion for 2011. The new Congress has already begun to delve into deep spending cuts in all areas. For the rest of this year, deficit reduction will be the lens through which policy will be made in the Obama administration and on Capitol Hill. With Speaker John Boehner, the US House of Representatives’ Republican leadership is looking at rolling back what they see as an increasingly activist government. That said, the Congress lost much institutional memory this year. The 96 freshmen in the House and the 16 freshmen in the Senate represent the largest new class in modern history. Many new members are scoping out committee assignments and positions to develop legislative profiles.

mandates of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that aim to limit carbon emissions. On issues related to terrorism, travel and privacy, the new Congress will produce a string of unorthodox coalitions that will seem unusual to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). This edition of CapitolWire identifies ten members of Congress, from the House and Senate, who will drive policy toward Europe in the year ahead.

The fault lines on issues related to Europe have already been drawn. Climate-change policy will not be an area for legislative action in 2011, but watch for debates around clean energy and renewables. There will also be campaigns, particularly in the House, to defund certain

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ABOUT THE BERTELSMANN FOUNDATION: The Bertelsmann Foundation is a private, nonpartisan operating foundation, working to promote and strengthen trans-Atlantic cooperation. Serving as a platform for open dialogue among key stakeholders, the Foundation develops practical policy recommendations on issues central to successful development of both sides of the ocean.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Florida – 18th District, Inspiring People.Republican), Shaping the Future.

CapitolWire

Chairwoman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs

The Brussels

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has served in Congress since 1989 and took over as chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in the new 112th Congress. She previously served as to the Capitol top Republican on the committee when the Connection Hill Democrats held the majority.

President Obama’s decision to join the UN Human Rights Council and urged stronger action against “rogue” states.

Among her top priorities as chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee is pressing for BRUSSELS WASHINGTON, DC State Department and A refugee from Cuba, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen has Palace 1101 New Yorkdeep Avenue,cuts NW in the Résidence US foreign-operations been known to engage actively in the Hispanic congressional Rue de budgets la Loi 155 to meet Suite 901 Brussels, to Belgium Washington, DCa 20005 USA voters’1040 perceived mandate eliminate community and is a strong opponent of the regime in Havana. During her 22 years in Contact: Thomas Fischer Contact: Tyson Barker fiscal waste. Though control of the foreignCongress, she has repeatedly voiced support for the state of Israel and has introducedE-mail: bills tyson.barker@bertelsmannE-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmannstiftung.de operations budget lies with the House condemning global anti-Semitism. She has also strongly supported free-trade agreements with foundation.org Tel: (+1) 202.384.1993 Tel: (+32 2)on 280.2830 Appropriations Subcommittee Foreign Latin American countries such as Colombia, Panama and South Korea. www.bertelsmann-foundation.org www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels Operations, its chairwoman, Kay Granger (Texas – Republican), is of a similar mind to In 2011, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen met Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Ros-Lehtinen. expressed concern about Ankara’s support of Iran. She also met a Greek delegation to show her support for the reunification of Cyprus. In a statement released in December, she criticized

Dan Burton (Indiana – 5th District, Republican), Chairman, Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia, House Foreign Affairs Committee A veteran of the House of almost 30 years and one of the longest-serving members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Dan Burton has chaired numerous subcommittees including the Asian and Middle Eastern Subcommittees. He also chaired the Congressional watchdog committee, the House Oversight Committee, during the Clinton presidency. In March 2011, Congressman Burton held his first hearing as chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The hearing provided an overview of US policy in the region.

energy policy. A staunch supporter of Israel, Burton has introduced legislation that would recognize Jerusalem as the country’s capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv. Burton is a strong opponent of legislation passed by the previous Congress, such as financial reform and healthcare reform.

Burton’s team now has ambitious plans for hearings to look into traditional foreign- and

security-policy issues as well as economic issues affecting the US-EU relationship, such as

Cliff Stearns (Florida – 6th District, Republican), US Chairman Designate, Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue (TLD) Hungary this summer. Given that the House is undergoing serious cutbacks and that Stearns is not on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, doubts about the Committee’s funding of this year’s TLD meeting exist.

Stearns also serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee where he chairs the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. In this subcommittee, he works on issues related to identity theft and data security, spyware, ICANN and foreign ownership of US ports.

Stearns is a member of the newly formed Tea Party Caucus, along with Congressmen Dan Burton (see above) and Ed Royce (see page 4).

The House leadership has been moving slowly to approve the composition of the TLD under Republican control, but Congressman Stearns is preparing for leadership of the US delegation should he be tapped to do so. However, questions hang over the TLD’s travel schedule to ©Copyright 2010, Bertelsmann Foundation. All rights reserved.

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Long involved in the US-EU legislative relationship, Congressman Cliff Stearns has drawn attention to several top issues on the agendas on both sides of the Atlantic, including regulation of the energy sector (against excessive regulation), renewables (supported renewables) and net neutrality.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire Inspiring – Democrat), Chairwoman, Subcommittee People. Shaping the Future.

CapitolWire

on European Affairs, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

The Brussels

Senator Jeanne Shaheen began serving in Congress in 2009 and is the first woman to be elected governor (1997-2003) and US senator. She has chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s on European Affairs since Connection to Subcommittee Capitol Hill entering the Senate.

As a champion of the middle class and a small-business owner, Senator Shaheen became heavily engaged in facilitating tax credits for small businesses and was a major proponent of President Obama’s healthcare reform.

WASHINGTON, DC

Senator Shaheen recognizes the economic importance and 1101the New York Avenue, NW foreign-policy dimension of the US-European partnership. Suite 901 Washington, DC 20005 USA She recently voiced support of multilateral intervention in Libya to avoid making it a “United Contact: Tyson Barker States issue”, recognizing that US-European unity remains “the anchor for stability”E-mail: in an tyson.barker@bertelsmannincreasingly complex world. In July 2010 she issued a written statement praising EU sanctions foundation.org Tel: (+1) 202.384.1993 on Iran. www.bertelsmann-foundation.org

BRUSSELS Résidence Palace Rue de la Loi 155 1040 Brussels, Belgium Contact: Thomas Fischer E-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmannstiftung.de Tel: (+32 2) 280.2830 www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels

Senator Ben Cardin (Maryland – Democrat), Co-Chair, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Senator Ben Cardin, a former US Congressman for the 3rd congressional district in the House of Representatives (19872005), began serving in the Senate in 2006. Having a longstanding interest in foreign affairs and human rights, he has served as a commissioner on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the US Helsinki Commission, since 1993. Senator Cardin served as Commission chair in the 111th Congress and co-chairs the body with Congressman Chris Smith (New Jersey – Republican) in the current 112th Congress.

Peter King (New York – Republican). He has been vocal about targeting religious groups and opposed the French Parliament’s 2010 decision to ban burqas. The Helsinki Commission, under Senator Cardin’s and Congressman Smith’s leadership, has conducted hearings on Northern Ireland and on Lithuania’s leadership of the OSCE.

The Helsinki Commission contributes to the formulation of US policy on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Members of the Helsinki Commission have regular contact with European parliamentarians and government officials. In 2011, Senator Cardin spoke in the Senate about racially motivated violence on the anniversary of attacks against Roma in Hungary and the Czech Republic. Citing human-rights concerns, he opposed the March 2011 House hearing entitled “The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community’s Response” chaired by Congressman

Congressman Mike Turner (Ohio – 3rd District, Republican), Chairman, House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Chairman, NATO Parliamentary Assembly Congressman Mike Turner, a member of the House since 2003, was appointed chairman of the US delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in the 112th Congress, taking over from former Congressman John Tanner (Tennessee – Democrat).

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As chair of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee and member of the Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, he has gained a reputation for having expertise and influence in strategic military politics. He opposed the

new START Treaty with Russia and supports a Europe-based missile defense system, which he considers a symbol of a common transAtlantic defense strategy.

Gregory Meeks (New York – 6th District, Democrat), Member, Subcommittee InspiringRanking People. Shaping the Future.

CapitolWire

on Europe and Eurasia, House Foreign Affairs Committee Congressman Gregory Meeks has represented much of

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Both are seen as under threat in the current House budget debates. On foreign and security policy, Meeks has The Brussels been a supporter of a stronger sanctions regime on Iran and has been active in US BRUSSELS WASHINGTON, DC Israel. He has also worked Résidence Palace 1101 New Yorkpolicy Avenue,towards NW Beginning in 2011, Meeks took over as the top Democrat for the strengthening Organization of Rueofdethe la Loi 155 Suiteon 901 1040 Brussels, Belgium Washington, DCAmerican 20005 USAStates (OAS), the Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia from retiring Massachusetts Democrat Bill Delahunt. promoting privateContact: Thomas Fischer Contact: Tyson Barker In the previous Congress, he served as chairman of the Subcommittee on International Monetary sector development E-mail: in Haitithomas.fischer@bertelsmannand promoting E-mail: tyson.barker@bertelsmannfoundation.org stiftung.de(FTA) with Policy and Trade. trade (e.g., a free-trade agreement Tel: (+1) 202.384.1993 Tel: (+32 2) 280.2830 South Korea). www.bertelsmann-foundation.org www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels A proponent of the Dodd-Frank Act, Meeks has spoken out on protecting funding for major financial watchdogs such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the southeastern Queens in New York City since 1998. Meeks’ work has long had a strongly international dimension. Serving on the Committee on FinancialHill Services and on the Committee Connection to Capitol on Foreign Affairs, Meeks has focused on the confluence of several issues at the heart of US-EU relations.

John Barrasso (Wyoming – Republican), Ranking Member, Subcommittee on European Affairs, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator John Barrasso has replaced Tea Party favorite Jim DeMint (South Carolina – Republican) as ranking member

on the Senate European Subcommittee. Appointed by a Democratic governor in a solidly Republican state, Barrasso heralds from America’s most rural and least-populated state, and has focused on legislation related to energy and rawmaterials exploration and usage. Barrasso has not yet developed a high profile on Europe or foreign-policy issues in general although he voted against the START Treaty to reduce nuclear weapons in Russia and the

US. Barrasso sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the two key committees for these issues. He is a climate-change skeptic and has looked for ways to remove legislation and regulation that hinders energy and raw-materials production, cap-and-trade and certain EPA mandates.

Ed Royce (California – 40th District, Republican), Chairman, Subcommittee of Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, House Foreign Affairs Committee The new leadership in the House Foreign Affairs Committee has restructured several subcommittees under its jurisdiction. For example, the portfolio for the former Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight has been chopped up to reflect the lower profile that international organizations are expected to have in Republican foreign policy. Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen (see page 2) has also renamed the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, which is headed by Congressman Ed Royce. This subcommittee’s responsibilities include analyzing options to guarantee proper sanctioning of state sponsors of terrorism and suspected proliferators such as Iran and North Korea.

Royce also sits on the House Financial Services Committee and focused attention on slashing banking-sector regulation in the early 2000s. He has called for greater investigations into government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

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Congressman Royce, seen as a moderate conservative within his party, addressed trade competitiveness with China in his first hearing. He has proved willing to take strident positions on combating Islamic extremism in the US and on the notion of multiculturalism. Echoing the positions of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Royce stated that multiculturalism “has paralyzed too many of our fellow citizens to make

the critical judgments we need to make to prosper as a society”. Royce maintains an active foreign-policy blog called “Foreign Intrigue”.

Congressman Tim Griffin (Arkansas – 2nd Inspiring District, Republican), Chairman, People. Vice Shaping the Future.

CapitolWire

Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia, House Foreign Affairs Committee

The Brussels

Congressman Tim Griffin is a freshman member of Congress who has served for 14 years as an officer in the US Army Reserve, Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, in which he holds the to rankCapitol of major. He is assigned to the Southeast Connection Hill Medical Area Readiness Support Group as Command Judge Advocate.

of Israel and backed the US veto of the UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel for building Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

WASHINGTON, DC 1101 New York Avenue, NW Since his swearing-in, Congressman Griffin has been vocal Suite in 901 Washington, DC 20005 USA his opposition to President Obama’s healthcare reform package. He is a strong supporter Contact: Tyson Barker E-mail: tyson.barker@bertelsmannfoundation.org Tel: (+1) 202.384.1993 www.bertelsmann-foundation.org

BRUSSELS Résidence Palace Rue de la Loi 155 1040 Brussels, Belgium Contact: Thomas Fischer E-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmannstiftung.de Tel: (+32 2) 280.2830 www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels

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