Recent News and Activities

Three Members of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP) traveled to Haiti on March 5, 2010, as part of a congressional delegation to meet with Haitian and U.S. officials following the devastating earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince two months prior. HDP Chairman David Price (D-NC), Ranking Member David Dreier (R-CA), and Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) accompanied six other House Members on a delegation led by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). Their visit followed HDP visits to Haiti in February 2007 and May 2009.

A congressional delegation from the House Democracy Partnership (HDP) traveled to the Balkans from February 13-23, 2010, to inaugurate a partnership with the Assembly of Kosovo, advance its existing partnership with the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, and engage with legislators and other officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. The delegation was led by Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) and was HDP's fifth outbound congressional delegation of the 111th Congress and 18th overall since 2005.

A delegation of four former members of Congress traveled to Georgia on behalf of the House Democracy Partnership from Jan. 22 to 28, 2010. The delegation consulted with several Georgian members of parliament and executive branch officials on the importance of legislative oversight of the defense and security sectors. The delegation was led by former Rep. Martin Lancaster (D-N.C.), who was joined by former Reps. Pete Geren (D-Texas), Joel Hefley (RColo.) and Heather Wilson (R-N.M.).

A congressional delegation from the House Democracy Partnership (HDP) traveled to the Middle East and Southwest Asia from November 9 to 16, 2009, to advance HDP's existing partnerships with the national assemblies of Lebanon and Afghanistan and engage with members of parliament and other senior officials in Pakistan. The delegation was led by HDP Chairman David Price (D-NC) and included HDP Ranking Member David Dreier (R-CA) and HDP members Lois Capps (D-CA), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Charles Boustany, Jr. (R-LA).

A congressional delegation from the House Democracy Partnership (HDP) traveled to South America from August 15 to 23, 2009, to inaugurate a partnership with the Congress of Peru and discuss the next steps in its three-year-old partnership with the Congress of Colombia. The eight-member delegation was led by HDP Chairman David Price (D-NC) and included HDP Ranking Member David Dreier (R-CA); HDP members Lois Capps (D-CA), Sam Farr (D-CA), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA); and Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Ed Whitfield (R-KY), and Brian Bilbray (R-CA).

A congressional delegation from the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) met with parliamentary counterparts from Mongolia, Indonesia and Timor-Leste during an 11-day mission from June 26 to July 6, 2009. Led by HDAC Chairman David Price (D-NC), the six-Member delegation included Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Jim Cooper (D-TN), Bob Etheridge (D-NC), Vern Buchanan (R-FL.) and Phil Gingrey (R-GA.). This was the 15th congressional delegation authorized by HDAC.

Members of Congress making up the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) agreed to offer two new partnerships to the Kosovo Assembly and the Peruvian Congress. Both countries' legislatures are expected to accept the offers in short order.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the demolition of the Iron Curtain along the Austro-Hungarian border, the Government of Hungary as well as leaders of member states of the EU, the U.S., NATO and other international organizations gathered in Budapest on June 27th to celebrate the historic event that made European re-unification possible.