Since the horrific attacks of September 11th, Americans have taken a renewed interest in our international relationships. We are now more concerned than ever about our alliances and our affiliation with world bodies like the United Nations (UN) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). We are far more cognizant of our friends in the world and of the countries’ whose dealings cause us concern.
As a member of the House International Relations Committee and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), I am working to increase our alliances around the world and keep a watchful eye on the countries that threaten our way of life. Since the War on Terror has started, our allies have helped us capture or kill known terrorists, spread democracy and keep countries like North Korea, China and Iran in check. Our allies play key roles in our international missions and in the oversight on world bodies like the U.N., who have been under scrutiny for the Oil-For-Food scandal and peacekeeper abuses in the Congo. Our relationships with our friends in the world community are crucial as we continue to address these issues, international economic issues and humanitarian issues.
In the 110th Congress I introduced the Microfinance Human Capacity-Building Act to reorient U.S. foreign aid programs towards investments that encourage those in need to work their way out of poverty, rather than simply providing funding for unaccountable foreign governments.
I also worked to raise awarness of the malaria epidemic by launching the Congressional Malaria Caucus which supports increased efforts to stem the tide of this disease.
Congressional Research Service Reports:
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is part of the legislative branch of the federal government. CRS, which is a department of the Library of Congress, works exclusively as a nonpartisan analytical, research, and reference arm for Congress.
CRS Reports are in PDF format. In order to view these files, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your PC. You can download the free reader from Adobe's website. These files may be rather large and may take a few minutes to download.
Terrorism and National Security: Issues and Trends
The United States and Europe: Possible Options for U.S. Policy
Iran's Nuclear Program: Recent Developments
North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Program
United Nations Peacekeeping: Issues for Congress
