New Member Orientation in Guatemala
From April 21-26, 2024, the House Democracy Partnership was in Guatemala City, Guatemala to implement a new member orientation program with the staff and deputies of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala. This exchange covered foundational areas such as legislative drafting, rules and procedures, committee structures, constituent engagement, and executive oversight, which are critical for new members of a legislature to understand to effectively carry out their mandate.
The program brought delegates Hon. David Price (former Member of Congress and founding member and former Chair of HDP), Hon. Tim Petri (former Member of Congress), Dr. Casey Burgat (professor and Director of Legislative Affairs at George Washington University), and Ms. Janet Schwalb (deputy staff director at the U.S. House Administration), to share their expertise on the U.S. policymaking process and the role of the legislature in providing oversight and serving as effective representatives.
