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California's congressional clout increases
By 1:By Lisa Friedman, Staff Writer
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, CA
Aug 12 2005
WASHINGTON - From the Iraq War to tensions in the Mid east to the
extradition of criminals hiding in Mexico, California's influ ence
on U.S. foreign policy is intensi fying.
About 25 percent of the House com mittee overseeing international af
fairs hails from the Golden State, leading some aides to jokingly
refer to the panel's "California cabal" even as Congress' foreign
policy de mands increasingly reflect the state's diversity and global
economic ties.
Twelve of the panel's 50 members represent California, including the
leading Democrat, Tom Lantos of San Mateo, one other Northern Cali
fornian, one from the Central Valley, and nine representing various
parts of the Southland. Three Californians chair subcommittees
on issues rang ing from Europe to State Department oversight to
international terrorism.
"California members are very active in international relations because
the state is an economic powerhouse," said Matthew Reynolds, acting
assis tant secretary of state for legislative affairs, a liaison
between Congress and the State Department.
Reynolds said California "is on the threshold of a lot of things. Its
inter ests are political, human rights, there's interest in security
issues, and I think you've probably got every group covered in
California."
With the largest delegation in Con gress, California might be expected
to be represented in large numbers everywhere -- but isn't.
Californians make up fewer than 10 percent of nearly every other panel
in Congress -- just five members serve on Transportation, six on Armed
Ser vices and five on Appropriations. Only the Resources Committee,
which oversees federal land and wa ter policy, comes close with nine
Californians making up about 18 per cent of the panel.
Lawmakers say the state's relation ship as a trade partner with more
than 220 countries, and the fact that Cali fornians trace their roots
from more than 100 nations, primarily account for the Golden State's
disproportion ate involvement in foreign affairs.
"There's a natural interest in interna tional affairs, perhaps even
greater than other parts of the country," said Rep. Howard Berman,
D-Van Nuys. "California's economy, its interna tional dimension,
plays a huge factor, as well as the part that so many Californians
come from other coun tries."
But California interests are, of course, anything but homogenous.
Orange County's Vietnamese com munity, for example, may press for
human rights in Vietnam while Los Angeles' Armenian community urg es
an end to Turkey's blockade of Armenia.
Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs, uses her position to encour
age better relations between the Unit ed States and Latin America,
while Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Hunting ton Beach, wields his influence
to highlight long-standing human rights concerns in China.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, meanwhile, fo cuses his committee
efforts on curb ing nuclear proliferation.
"Foreign policy issues are now inter twined with national security
is sues," he said.
Israel and the Palestinian territories also are frequent points of
conten tion, even within the California dele gation.
Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, for example, recently worked
language into a bill calling for an end to U.S. aid to the Palestinian
Authori ty as long as its government-spon sored textbooks deny the
existence of Israel. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, in a counteramendment,
softened the provision so that only aid to Palestin ian education
programs would be affected.
Overall, though, lawmakers say the foreign policy bills emerging from
Congress tend to have an overarch ing California theme: active engage
ment in global affairs.
"Mostly it reflects a recognition of an internationalist approach
rather than an isolationist approach," Ber man said. "What goes on
around the world has an impact on us, and we need to be engaged."
And engaged they are. For example, two laws about to go into effect --
one authorizing the U.S. State Depart ment for another two years and
an other approving international U.S. assistance -- are filled with
provi sions authored by Californians.
Among them:
-- One by Sherman blocking World Bank loans to Iran until the country
abandons its nuclear program.
-- About $4.5 million in scholarship funds for students in Muslim
coun tries to attend U.S. schools as part of a program championed by
Berman to expose more students to American ideas and values.
-- Demands from Reps. Elton Gal legly, R-Thousand Oaks, and Darrell
Issa, R-Vista, for the State Depart ment to submit detailed statistical
reports regarding Mexico extradition requests.
Meanwhile, the panel will vote next month on whether the killing of
Ar menians in Turkey during the Otto man Empire should be declared
"genocide." That's a direct result of Schiff, whose district is home
to many of California's estimated 400,000 Armenians.
Armen Carapetian, spokesman for the Armenian National Committee of
America's western region in Glen dale, said that for Armenians, having
a lawmaker on the International Re lations Committee is as important
as having one on a bread-and-butter panel like Appropriations.
"It certainly helps to have your local congressman represent you in
places where it matters," Carapetian said.
Added former Los Angeles Rep. Mel Levine, now head of community re
lations for the Los Angeles Jewish Federation, "It's very important,
and there's no doubt that the pro-Israel community pays a lot of
attention to this committee."
Levine, who served on International Relations himself when in Congress,
also noted that with more than 15 lawmakers representing a portion of
Los Angeles County, no one law maker bears the sole burden of bring
ing home federal money. That, he said, frees up politicians who want
to exercise their own intellectual inter ests in world affairs.
"Our constituents tolerate it, even encourage it," Sherman agreed. "A
Nebraska congressman might go home (after joining the foreign af fairs
panel) and his constituents would say "You gave up the Agricul ture
Committee for that?' "
Gallegly said he also thinks Califor nia constituents want their
represen tatives in Washington to be tuned in to the world.
"Let's face it," he said. "We live in a global society. People are
a lot more interested in what's going on around the world and how it
affects us at home."
By 1:By Lisa Friedman, Staff Writer
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, CA
Aug 12 2005
WASHINGTON - From the Iraq War to tensions in the Mid east to the
extradition of criminals hiding in Mexico, California's influ ence
on U.S. foreign policy is intensi fying.
About 25 percent of the House com mittee overseeing international af
fairs hails from the Golden State, leading some aides to jokingly
refer to the panel's "California cabal" even as Congress' foreign
policy de mands increasingly reflect the state's diversity and global
economic ties.
Twelve of the panel's 50 members represent California, including the
leading Democrat, Tom Lantos of San Mateo, one other Northern Cali
fornian, one from the Central Valley, and nine representing various
parts of the Southland. Three Californians chair subcommittees
on issues rang ing from Europe to State Department oversight to
international terrorism.
"California members are very active in international relations because
the state is an economic powerhouse," said Matthew Reynolds, acting
assis tant secretary of state for legislative affairs, a liaison
between Congress and the State Department.
Reynolds said California "is on the threshold of a lot of things. Its
inter ests are political, human rights, there's interest in security
issues, and I think you've probably got every group covered in
California."
With the largest delegation in Con gress, California might be expected
to be represented in large numbers everywhere -- but isn't.
Californians make up fewer than 10 percent of nearly every other panel
in Congress -- just five members serve on Transportation, six on Armed
Ser vices and five on Appropriations. Only the Resources Committee,
which oversees federal land and wa ter policy, comes close with nine
Californians making up about 18 per cent of the panel.
Lawmakers say the state's relation ship as a trade partner with more
than 220 countries, and the fact that Cali fornians trace their roots
from more than 100 nations, primarily account for the Golden State's
disproportion ate involvement in foreign affairs.
"There's a natural interest in interna tional affairs, perhaps even
greater than other parts of the country," said Rep. Howard Berman,
D-Van Nuys. "California's economy, its interna tional dimension,
plays a huge factor, as well as the part that so many Californians
come from other coun tries."
But California interests are, of course, anything but homogenous.
Orange County's Vietnamese com munity, for example, may press for
human rights in Vietnam while Los Angeles' Armenian community urg es
an end to Turkey's blockade of Armenia.
Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs, uses her position to encour
age better relations between the Unit ed States and Latin America,
while Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Hunting ton Beach, wields his influence
to highlight long-standing human rights concerns in China.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, meanwhile, fo cuses his committee
efforts on curb ing nuclear proliferation.
"Foreign policy issues are now inter twined with national security
is sues," he said.
Israel and the Palestinian territories also are frequent points of
conten tion, even within the California dele gation.
Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, for example, recently worked
language into a bill calling for an end to U.S. aid to the Palestinian
Authori ty as long as its government-spon sored textbooks deny the
existence of Israel. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, in a counteramendment,
softened the provision so that only aid to Palestin ian education
programs would be affected.
Overall, though, lawmakers say the foreign policy bills emerging from
Congress tend to have an overarch ing California theme: active engage
ment in global affairs.
"Mostly it reflects a recognition of an internationalist approach
rather than an isolationist approach," Ber man said. "What goes on
around the world has an impact on us, and we need to be engaged."
And engaged they are. For example, two laws about to go into effect --
one authorizing the U.S. State Depart ment for another two years and
an other approving international U.S. assistance -- are filled with
provi sions authored by Californians.
Among them:
-- One by Sherman blocking World Bank loans to Iran until the country
abandons its nuclear program.
-- About $4.5 million in scholarship funds for students in Muslim
coun tries to attend U.S. schools as part of a program championed by
Berman to expose more students to American ideas and values.
-- Demands from Reps. Elton Gal legly, R-Thousand Oaks, and Darrell
Issa, R-Vista, for the State Depart ment to submit detailed statistical
reports regarding Mexico extradition requests.
Meanwhile, the panel will vote next month on whether the killing of
Ar menians in Turkey during the Otto man Empire should be declared
"genocide." That's a direct result of Schiff, whose district is home
to many of California's estimated 400,000 Armenians.
Armen Carapetian, spokesman for the Armenian National Committee of
America's western region in Glen dale, said that for Armenians, having
a lawmaker on the International Re lations Committee is as important
as having one on a bread-and-butter panel like Appropriations.
"It certainly helps to have your local congressman represent you in
places where it matters," Carapetian said.
Added former Los Angeles Rep. Mel Levine, now head of community re
lations for the Los Angeles Jewish Federation, "It's very important,
and there's no doubt that the pro-Israel community pays a lot of
attention to this committee."
Levine, who served on International Relations himself when in Congress,
also noted that with more than 15 lawmakers representing a portion of
Los Angeles County, no one law maker bears the sole burden of bring
ing home federal money. That, he said, frees up politicians who want
to exercise their own intellectual inter ests in world affairs.
"Our constituents tolerate it, even encourage it," Sherman agreed. "A
Nebraska congressman might go home (after joining the foreign af fairs
panel) and his constituents would say "You gave up the Agricul ture
Committee for that?' "
Gallegly said he also thinks Califor nia constituents want their
represen tatives in Washington to be tuned in to the world.
"Let's face it," he said. "We live in a global society. People are
a lot more interested in what's going on around the world and how it
affects us at home."
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