Inspiring People. Shaping the Future.

WASHINGTON, DC1101 New York Avenue, NWSuite 901Washington, DC 20005 USAContact: Tyson BarkerE-mail: tyson.barker@bertelsmann-

foundation.orgTel: (+1) 202.384.1993www.bertelsmann-foundation.org

BRUSSELSRésidence PalaceRue de la Loi 1551040 Brussels, BelgiumContact: Thomas FischerE-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmann-

stiftung.deTel: (+32 2) 280.2830www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels

©Copyright 2010, Bertelsmann Foundation. All rights reserved.

The Brussels Connection to Capitol Hill

CapitolWire

As the contentious healthcare debate on Capitol Hill winds down, Congressional

attention is already turning to other issues on the Obama administration’s

agenda. Some of these issues have major implications for the US’s relationship

with Europe.

Debate over a bill meant to alter substantially the way American financialmarkets are regulated has now become the focus of policy discussions in the US.

With that, the legislative debates in Washington and Brussels are increasingly

synchronized.

At the same time, Brussels is becoming more aware of the need for the EU to

look into cooperating with the US on operational issues on policies such as

financial-services reform, energy, and homeland security.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso’s

recent speech about the need for a results-oriented

“New Atlanticism” was welcome and heralds a more

nuanced understanding of the role that Congress can

play in the US-EU relationship. US Vice President Joseph

Biden’s May 6th speech in the European Parliament

reinforced that message.

This inaugural edition of CapitolWire looks at ten

members of the US House of Representatives who will

have key roles in deepening that relationship.

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.

Contact: Tyson BarkerE-mail: tyson.barker@bertelsmann- foundation.orgTel: (+1) 202.384.1993www.bertelsmann-foundation.org

Contact: Thomas FischerE-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmann- stiftung.deTel: (+32 2) 280.2830www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels

KEY POINTS

• The 435 members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years in districts based on the population of the state that they represent. As such, the most populous state, California, has 53 representatives in its delegation while the least populous state, Wyoming, has only one representative. All representatives are directly elected.

• Congress has the constitutional authority to initiate legislation. Although the president indicates his preferences for a bill, individual members of Congress in the House of Representatives and Senate are responsible for sponsoring a bill. Once passed by Congress, a bill goes to the president for his signature.

• The power of party leadership is a driver of the legislative narrative. The ability of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her majority “whips” (deputies) to set the legislative agenda is one of the most powerful tools in the hands of the majority party in Congress. The Secretariat or internal administration of Congress is significantly less important that the Secretariat of the European Parliament.

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.

©Copyright 2010, Bertelsmann Foundation. All rights reserved.

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The US House of Representatives: Ten to Watch

Inspiring People. Shaping the Future.

WASHINGTON, DC1101 New York Avenue, NWSuite 901Washington, DC 20005 USAContact: Tyson BarkerE-mail: tyson.barker@bertelsmann-

foundation.orgTel: (+1) 202.384.1993www.bertelsmann-foundation.org

BRUSSELSRésidence PalaceRue de la Loi 1551040 Brussels, BelgiumContact: Thomas FischerE-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmann-

stiftung.deTel: (+32 2) 280.2830www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels

©Copyright 2010, Bertelsmann Foundation. All rights reserved.

The Brussels Connection to Capitol Hill

CapitolWireM

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Shelley Berkley has represented

the Las Vegas area in Congress

since 1998. Her notable

positions in foreign policy

include supporting the invasion

of Iraq in 2002. But she also

voted, in 2008, in favor of

investigating, as a possible

prelude to impeachment,

President George W Bush for

lying about Iraq. She is known

as an outspoken supporter of Israel and has pushed for sanctions

on Iran as a means to end its nuclear program. She a voted on more than one occasion for acknowledging the Armenian genocide as

official US policy.

Berkley has served as the chair of the Transatlantic Legislators’

Dialogue (TLD) since 2007. She will co-host the TLD’s next meeting

in Spain. The TLD is the body that brings together leaders from the

European Parliament’s US delegation and members of Congress

engaged in US-European policy.

At the October 2009 Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC)

meeting, Berkley delivered a frank assessment of the TEC’s future

and its potential for engaging legislators in the US and Europe

more thoroughly. Her voting record on energy and climate-

change policy demonstrates a clear commitment to the use of

renewable energy, conservation and targets on CO2 limits.

She voted for the House climate-change bill sponsored by

Congressmen Henry Waxman (California; Democrat) and

Edward Markey (Massachusetts; Democrat).

Berkley serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs

with assignments on the Europe and the Middle East/South

Asia Subcommittees. She is a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, which is responsible for US tax and revenue-

raising policy.

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (Nevada – 1st District; Democrat)US Chairwoman, Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue

Russ Carnahan is the scion

of one of the Midwest’s

most powerful Democratic

political families. His father was governor of Missouri, his

mother served as a Missouri

senator, and his sister, Missouri’s current secretary of

state, is running for senator this

year. Representing the southern

part of St. Louis and parts of the city’s suburbs, Carnahan was first

elected in 2004.

Carnahan has demonstrated an acute awareness of the image and

perception of the US in the world, and particularly in Europe. He

is the founder of the Congressional Caucus on Bosnia, in which he

has been a voice for regional reconciliation (his district has one of

the largest contingents of Bosnians outside Bosnia), and founder/

co-chairman of the American Engagement Caucus. He also often

speaks on issues related to non-traditional policy areas in the trans-

Atlantic relationship such as R&D, the creation of a high-skilled

workforce and best-practices exchange. Carnahan, who also serves

as chairman of the International Organizations Subcommittee, is seen as

a rising star on Europe.

Carnahan is a member of the Aviation Subcommittee of the

Transportation Committee and the Committee on Science and

Technology. He encourages greater use of universities as incubators

of innovation and research, a position that could be relevant areas

for dialogue on innovation and R&D initiatives linked to the

EU 2020 Strategy.

Congressman Russ Carnahan (Missouri – 3rd District; Democrat) Chairman, Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight; House Foreign Relations Committee

Inspiring People. Shaping the Future.

WASHINGTON, DC1101 New York Avenue, NWSuite 901Washington, DC 20005 USAContact: Tyson BarkerE-mail: tyson.barker@bertelsmann-

foundation.orgTel: (+1) 202.384.1993www.bertelsmann-foundation.org

BRUSSELSRésidence PalaceRue de la Loi 1551040 Brussels, BelgiumContact: Thomas FischerE-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmann-

stiftung.deTel: (+32 2) 280.2830www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels

©Copyright 2010, Bertelsmann Foundation. All rights reserved.

The Brussels Connection to Capitol Hill

CapitolWireIn December 2009, Delahunt

assumed the chairmanship

of the Subcommittee on

Europe from retiring Florida

Congressman Robert Wexler.

The Subcommittee on Europe

serves as a hub for all EU-

related issues in the House.

Delahunt held his inaugural

hearing on the EU in the

post-Lisbon environment.

He is also engaged in the reset policy with Russia in coordination

with the Obama administration. On Afghanistan, Delahunt has

been an outspoken advocate of timetables for withdrawal and

has co-sponsored legislation for an exit strategy. His 2010 J Street-

sponsored trip to Israel demonstrated his interest in exploring

the relationship between Israel and its European partners,

notably Turkey.

On other EU-related issues, Delahunt is the author of the TravelPromotion Act, the law recently signed by President Obama that

envisions more efforts to attract international tourists to the United

States. That campaign will be funded by a US$10 fee on foreigners

entering the US under the auspices of the visa-waiver program

(which applies to most Europeans).

Delahunt has announced that he will retire at the end of 2010,

leaving the chairmanship of the Subcommittee on Europe open.

Congressman William Delahunt (Massachusetts – 3rd District; Democrat)Chairman, Subcommittee on Europe; House Foreign Relations Committee

First elected to Congress in

2000, Issa is ranking member

of the powerful Committee on

Oversight, the Congressional

watchdog for administration

practices. A long-time

supporter of Europe and the

trans-Atlantic relationship, Issa

has close relationships with

many of the continent’s top

political leadership in Brussels,

Germany and other major European states.

Issa is an established entrepreneur with a deep knowledge of

the automotive sector, its regulation, and the role that advanced

manufacturing and innovation plays in American and European

competitiveness in this industry. In this regard, Issa is at the

forefront of a group of Congressman with an awareness of the power

of the EU in European affairs and is exploring ways to deepen

cooperation between Congress and the EU. He is co-chair of the EU

Caucus. Congressman Issa is looking into the possibility of setting

up a Congressional EU Commission that would have the ability to

coordinate Congressional relations with the European Union across

a number of portfolios.

Congressman Darrell Issa (California – 49th District; Republican) Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

A native of the New York City

borough of the Bronx, Engel

has represented his urban

district since 1989. He chairs

the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the House

Foreign Affairs Committee,

but his role and interest in

Europe goes back decades.

Engel’s role in Balkan policy is

well known in Washington and

southeastern Europe, where he is seen as a champion of Kosovo and

Albania in Congress. He has also been passionately supportive of

Cyprus in what he calls “the invasion and occupation” of northern

Cyprus by Turkey. He has authored legislation calling for the

demilitarization of the island. He also has deep bilateral relations

with the Italian and Irish governments.

On energy and climate change, Engel is the founder and

co-chair of the Oil and National Security Caucus, which seeks

clean alternatives to oil. He serves on the powerful Energy and

Commerce Committee, which is responsible for the US approach

to climate change. He supported the House Cap-and-Trade bill in

2009 and the Enviornmental Protection Agency finding in the

run-up to Copenhagen.

He is widely rumored to be a potential successor to William

Delahunt as chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe if Democrats

maintain control of the House after the mid-term elections. He is

co-chair of the EU Caucus.

Congressman Elliot Engel (New York – 17th District; Democrat)Chairman, Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere; House Foreign Relations Committee

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Inspiring People. Shaping the Future.

WASHINGTON, DC1101 New York Avenue, NWSuite 901Washington, DC 20005 USAContact: Tyson BarkerE-mail: tyson.barker@bertelsmann-

foundation.orgTel: (+1) 202.384.1993www.bertelsmann-foundation.org

BRUSSELSRésidence PalaceRue de la Loi 1551040 Brussels, BelgiumContact: Thomas FischerE-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmann-

stiftung.deTel: (+32 2) 280.2830www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels

©Copyright 2010, Bertelsmann Foundation. All rights reserved.

The Brussels Connection to Capitol Hill

CapitolWireKanjorski, representing the

Scranton area of Pennsylvania,

has a voting record that reflects

pro-labor views. He has

served on the House Financial

Services Committee since

entering Congress in 1985. As

chairman of the Capital MarketsSubcommittee, Kanjorski has

jurisdiction over the Securities

and Exchange Commission and self-regulatory organizations such

as the New York Stock Exchange and the National Association of

Securities Dealers, which police the securities markets.

Kanjorski contributed significantly to the House-passed WallStreet reform bill in December 2009 with his “too big to fail”

amendment. The amendment aims to prevent future taxpayer

bailouts by empowering federal regulators to control and dismantle

financial firms large enough to put the entire American economic

system at risk if they were to collapse. Senator Christopher Dodd

(Connecticut; Democrat)recently included a slightly modified

version of the amendment in the Senate’s financial-regulation bill.

Kanjorski has been a strong advocate of greater cooperation with

the European Union and, in particular, the European Parliament

on questions related to financial services, especially insurance.

He traveled to Brussels in September 2009 and has expressed an

interest in regular coordination with the European Parliament, via

teleconference, on international regulation related to banking and

financial services.

Kanjorski recently helped introduce legislation to make March 2010

Irish-American Heritage Month.

Congressman Paul Kanjorski (Pennsylvania – 11th District; Democrat)Chairman, Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises; House Financial Services Committee

Elected to Congress in 2002,

Garrett is known to be by far

the most conservative member

of the New Jersey delegation,

championing cuts in earmarks

and taxes. Garrett was

selected earlier this year to

serve as the Ranking Member

of the Subcommittee on

Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises for the House Financial Services

Committee. As Ranking Member, he is the top Republican on the

subcommittee chaired by Congressman Kanjorski.

Garrett recently introduced, with support from Kanjorski

and Committee Ranking Member Spencer Bachus (Alabama;

Republican) the United States Covered Bond Act. The legislation

aims to create a robust covered-bonds market to add liquidity

and certainty to US capital markets. European nations have used

covered bonds to provide additional funding options for issuing

institutions, and the bonds are a major source of liquidity for many

European mortgage markets. The Garrett-Kanjorski-Bachus bill

applies this European model to the US market.

Congressman Scott Garrett (New Jersey – 5th District; Republican)Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises; House Financial Services Committee

McMahon, hailing from the

New York City borough of

Staten Island, is of German and

Irish heritage, and is the only

member of Congress fluent in

German. He is a member of the

New Democrat Coalition, a group

of moderate House Democrats

committed to pursuing a

sensible, fiscally responsible

policy agenda. As such, he was

one of 38 Democrats to vote in March 2010 against the healthcare-

overhaul legislation.

McMahon sits on the Subcommittee on Europe of the Foreign

Affairs Committee. In the subcommittee’s December 15, 2009

hearing on the Lisbon Treaty, McMahon expressed concern about the

EU’s Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive, saying it “could

lead to US retaliation in... a damaging trade dispute in the area of

financial services.” He added, however, that he is “encouraged by

the work of the Transatlantic Economic Council to promote increased

dialogue between legislators on this matter.”

As a member of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, McMahon is a

strong supporter of strengthened ties between the US and Greece.

He issued a statement on the House floor praising the decision of

the US Department of Homeland Security to include Greece in its

Visa Waiver Program. This allows Greek citizens to travel to and stay

in the US for up to 90 days without a visa.

Congressman Michael McMahon (New York – 13th District, Democrat)Member, Subcommittee on Europe; House Foreign Affairs Committee

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Inspiring People. Shaping the Future.

WASHINGTON, DC1101 New York Avenue, NWSuite 901Washington, DC 20005 USAContact: Tyson BarkerE-mail: tyson.barker@bertelsmann-

foundation.orgTel: (+1) 202.384.1993www.bertelsmann-foundation.org

BRUSSELSRésidence PalaceRue de la Loi 1551040 Brussels, BelgiumContact: Thomas FischerE-mail: thomas.fischer@bertelsmann-

stiftung.deTel: (+32 2) 280.2830www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/brussels

©Copyright 2010, Bertelsmann Foundation. All rights reserved.

The Brussels Connection to Capitol Hill

CapitolWireGallegly was elected to

Congress in 1986 and has

displayed a consistently

conservative voting record.

He is the Ranking Member on

the Subcommittee on Europe

of the House Foreign Affairs

Committee. As Ranking

Member, he is the top

Republican with jurisdiction

over matters relating to

multilateral institutions, parliamentary conferences and exchanges

involving Europe.

Gallegly’s efforts on the Foreign Affairs Committee, however,

have been aimed at working with Europe to fight terrorism. He

introduced and passed major NATO expansion legislation and

represented the House of Representatives at the 2002 NATO

summit in Prague at the request of President George W Bush.

As Ranking Member, Gallegly presided over the December 15, 2009

subcommitee hearing on the Lisbon Treaty, during which he made clear

that he will monitor the implementation of the treaty to

determine “its effect on the United States’ relationship with the

sovereign countries in Europe.” He will pay particularly close

attention to how the treaty affects the United States’ military

relationship with Europe.

Congressman Elton Gallegly (California – 24th District; Republican) Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Europe; House Foreign Affairs Committee

Kind was elected to Congress in

1996. He serves on the powerful

Ways and Means Committee

and the Natural Resources

Committee. He is also the

Democratic chief deputy whip

and a co-vice chair of the NewDemocrat Coalition.

Kind is a founding member and

co-chair of the Congressional

EU Caucus. With several other Congressmen, Kind formed the EU

Caucus in 2005 in response to the EU’s increasing role as a political

and commercial partner of the United States.

In March 2009, Kind traveled to Brussels as part of a Congressional

delegation meeting with EU leaders to discuss international trade

issues, the beef industry and security in Afghanistan. He called

for global coordination to strengthen international financial

institutions, stressed the importance to the US of the European

market, and urged more intense efforts to counter the threat of

terrorism originating in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Kind has promoted the importance of the EU Caucus meetings

because they “keep the lines of communication open” between US

and EU legislators.

Congressman Ron Kind (Wisconsin – 3rd District; Democrat)Co-Chair of the EU Caucus

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