HDP Newsletter September 2023
As August recess winds down, we would like to provide you with an update highlighting recent and upcoming activities of the House Democracy Partnership. It has been a busy year with excellent programming across the globe including in Indonesia, Peru, Moldova, Kenya, Chile, North Macedonia, Iraq, Armenia, South Korea, and beyond. Of course, we have also been welcoming legislative delegations right here in Washington, DC!
CODEL Buchanan - Spring 2023
HDP’s first CODEL in the 118th Congress was led by Chairman Buchanan (R-FL) and accompanied by Reps Norma Torres (D-CA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), John Rutherford (R-FL), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Jennifer Gonzalez Colon (R-PR), and the Clerk of the House, Cheryl Johnson.
The purpose of the trip was to evaluate the rapidly evolving defense, trade, and energy postures with legislative counterparts and stakeholders in South Korea, Indonesia, North Macedonia, and Poland. Each of these nations is currently engaging the United States in energy security, strategic commercial partnerships, foreign direct investment, security and defense, and trade in robust bilateral and multilateral mechanisms. Among many great meetings with leadership from each country, the delegation met with Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Kim Jin-pyo.
During the stop in Poland, and in true HDP fashion, the delegation met with a diverse group of senior Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Ukrainian Rada, including Majority Leader Hon. David Arakhamia.
Summit for Democracy: Year of Action
The Legislative Track of the second Summit for Democracy took place over three days, from March 28-30, 2023, for which HDP convened nearly 50 senior MPs from 26 countries to Washington, DC. This international cohort was joined by Senators and Members of our Congress as well as officials from the White House, State Department, and the private sector for a series of discussion panels, fireside chats, and working meetings which provided fantastic opportunities to connect and learn more about shared responsibilities and democratic practices.
In addition to representatives from global agencies and organizations, the following countries' MPs participated: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Iraq, Kenya, Kosovo, Liberia, North Macedonia, Poland, St. Lucia, South Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Taiwan, Ukraine, the United States of America, and Zambia.
Highlighted Programs
Moldova : HDP held an in-country technical assistance program with Moldova’s parliament in a historic week in Moldova’s democratic trajectory. Staff from the Senate, House Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressional Research Service, and former U.S. Members participated in a three-day exchange that focused on congressional oversight of the defense and energy sectors.
Kenya: HDP organized a program in Mombasa, Kenya with the Kenyan National Assembly focused on best practices regarding the budget process, parliamentarian-staff relations, and bicameral policymaking. The group addressed challenges including high member turnover and entrenched institutional staff who failed to advance legislator priorities.
Chile: In Viña del Mar, Chile, HDP hosted a regional legislative exchange with women legislators from across Latin America including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Peru. The discussion focused on women’s political leadership in parliament and women’s economic empowerment.
Upcoming Activities
- Guatemala: New Member Orientation – October 2023
- The Gambia: Committee Functions – October 2023
- Chile, Colombia, Panama, Peru: CODEL – November 2023
- Iraq: Effective Engagement with the Media to Connect with Citizens for Women MPs – November 2023
- North Macedonia and Kosovo: Legislative Oversight Using Quality Information Sources – November 2023
- Liberia: Congressional Oversight of Public Debt – December 2023