The New Congress & US Foreign Policy
Lessons from the Hill
Thursday, Jan. 30, 7 pm [Directions]
Get the picture
"It is this
schizophrenic role of the Congress in foreign affairs — the power
to call the shots, the inclination to defer to executive branch
expertise — that makes it difficult to predict what Washington
will do in its interactions with the rest of the world. It is why
presidents negotiate treaties and cross their fingers, hoping the
treaties they've signed will be approved. It is why presidents
promise money to foreign governments (or the United Nations) and
then hope the Congress will write the check." — Mickey Edwards,
"Worldly-Wise Congress is a Necessity," Boston Herald,
January 14, 1999, p. 31
Panelists
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Mickey Edwards, a conservative, served
in the Congress for 16 years.
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Dan Glickman, a liberal, served in the
Congress for 18 years; and then served in
President Clinton's Cabinet.
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Juan Esteban Orduz served for 4 years as
Minister, Deputy Chief of Mission, at the
Colombian Embassy in Washington.
Our discussion with our guests will focus on their
experience in Washington. We will look at
how members of Congress analyze a
foreign-policy issue (free trade, say, or aid to the
government of Colombia);
how constituency interests are often traded
off against party interests and national interests;
and how alliances are made
across district lines, across the aisle, and with the Executive branch.
We will see how diplomacy works
its way into foreign policy.
As far as possible we will try to examine
the composition of the new Congress. We will also look at how
members of Congress relate to the lobbyists, NGOs, and activists who
work to affect Congressional actions.
There are three other discussions in this series:
January 9, on national security;
January 16, on trade, environment, and globalization; and
January 23, on human rights.
You are welcome to join us for all sessions,
but space is limited, so please let us know if you plan
to attend. Your pre-registration helps in our planning and lets us inform you about materials
you might find useful in preparing for the seminars. There is no registration fee.
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