Chairman Price leads HDAC to Partner Nations Ukraine and Georgia

The House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) sent a bipartisan delegation of three House members to partner nations Ukraine and Georgia from March 29 to April 7, 2007. The trip marked the Commission's fifth congressional delegation since its establishment in 2005. Rep. David Price (D-NC) led the group, which included Reps. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Bill Shuster (R-PA). This was the first visit that an HDAC delegation has taken to either country.

HDAC has partnered with the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian legislature. The scope of the partnership includes collaboration to contribute to the improvement of the oversight role of committees, develop the role of parties in the legislature, establish and enforce ethics rules, and use information technology effectively to improve transparency. HDAC's partnership with the Georgian Parliament focuses on strengthening its oversight role vis-à-vis the executive branch, improving capacity for independent research and budget analysis, determining an appropriate role for opposition political parties, and enhancing the Parliament's information technology structure.

While visiting the Rada in Ukraine, the HDAC delegation met with Speaker Oleksandr Moroz and Prime Minister Victor Yanukovych. The delegation shared with their counterparts in key committees in the Rada their experience on oversight and legislative functions. In addition, the U.S. lawmakers met with leaders of the various political factions in the Rada. During the delegation's visit, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko formally dissolved the Rada and called for snap elections. This decision shaped the content of most HDAC discussions during the visit.

In Georgia, the delegation began its visit by meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament, Nino Burjanadze. The U.S. lawmakers later met with Majoritarian MPs in small groups to discuss constituent and media relations, and held discussions with opposition parties on their role in Parliament. Members also met with committee chairs and with members of the counterpart committees on which they serve in the House, as well as the foreign affairs, defense, and European integration committees. In addition, staff from the Congressional Research Service and Congressional Budget Office conducted training seminars with their Georgian counterparts.

Outside of the Parliament, the delegation met with President Mikhail Saakashvili and visited a local MP office in the nearby town of Mtskheta, where it held discussions on constituent relations.