HDAC MEMBERS ANNOUNCED FOR 111th CONGRESS; PRICE REAPPOINTED AS CHAIR

July 11, 2009

Washington, D.C. - Today, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner announced the appointment of twenty Members of Congress to the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) for the 111th Congress. Congressman David Price (D-NC) was reappointed HDAC Chairman, and Congressman David Dreier (R-CA) was reappointed Ranking Minority Member. Price and Dreier led the initiative that established the Commission in 2005.

HDAC is charged with promoting responsive, effective government and strengthening democratic institutions in emerging democracies. Central to the Commission's work is peer-to-peer cooperation to build technical expertise that enhances accountability, transparency, legislative independence, and government oversight in partner foreign legislatures.

HDAC currently partners with the legislatures of Afghanistan, Colombia, East Timor, Georgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Mongolia, and Ukraine. The Commission is expected to approve new partnerships with the Kosovo Assembly and Peruvian Congress soon. Over just the past year, HDAC has sponsored outbound congressional delegations to Liberia, Kenya, Georgia, and Haiti; opened a parliamentary library in East Timor; discussed committee investigations and oversight with the Georgian parliament in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of that country; and hosted inbound delegations, including seminars for members of parliament from eight countries and staff institutes for parliamentary staffers from eleven foreign legislatures.

The Commission's leadership praised the announcement and the new and returning HDAC Members.

"Elections might be the most high-profile aspect of democracy promotion, but we know that what happens between elections is often even more important," said Chairman Price. "I thank the Speaker for recognizing this important work, and all the distinguished Members serving on the Commission this Congress for joining our efforts to build up our partner parliaments' capacity for self-governance."

"This is a pivotal time for the cause of democracy, and the House of Representatives is as committed as ever to working with those willing partners who have chosen liberty over tyranny and who have asked for our assistance in building the institutions that make democracy sustainable," said Ranking Member Dreier. "David Price has shown great leadership as the chairman of our commission, and I look forward to continuing our bipartisan work in the 111th Congress."

The following Democratic Members were appointed by Speaker Pelosi:

Rep. David Price (North Carolina), Chairman

Rep. Lois Capps (California)

Rep. Rush Holt (New Jersey)

Rep. Adam Schiff (California)

Rep. Allyson Schwartz (Pennsylvania)

Rep. Donald Payne (New Jersey)

Rep. Earl Pomeroy (North Dakota)

Rep. Sam Farr (California)

Rep. Keith Ellison (Minnesota)

Rep. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii)

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (California)