Originally published on the CGS blog on January 7, 2009.
| Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia |
Citizens for Global Solutions had a great day on Tuesday, as we welcomed many members of Congress to the 111th Congress! Our staff made the rounds of the Swearing-In Receptions, personally greeting and speaking with over 30 Senators and Representatives as they began the new session. What made it even more satisfying was the very high level of enthusiasm we heard for our goals. The congressional representatives we met with thanked us for the support our members were able to give them through the Global Solutions PAC . With so many friends in place, we’re even more optimistic now that we will soon see some action on our top goals.
One of the ones we hope to achieve is ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty. I was able to raise the issue with Senator John Kerry at his reception yesterday. As the man likely to be the next leader of the powerful Foreign Relations committee, his support will be key to getting the bill onto the floor for a vote. I expect to meet with his staff soon to talk more about this.
| Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy of Ohio |
We also met Senators Ted Kennedy, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Jeff Merkely of Oregon, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Mark Begich of Arkansas, Mark Udall of Colorado, Tom Udall of New Mexico and Jim Webb and Mark Warner of Virgina.
I can barely remember all the Representatives we met, including Betty Sutton and Mary Jo Kilroy of Ohio, Chellie Pingree of Maine, Niki Tsongas and Jim McGovern of Massachusetts and Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania, Mark Schauer of Michigan, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Eric Massa of New York, Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes of New Hampshire, Emmanuel Cleaver of Missouri, Gerry Connolly, Tom Perrielo and Jim Moran of Virginia, Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona, and best of all, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Udall, Murphy, Sestak, Shea-Porter and Tsongas are all on the House Armed Services Committee, while Connolly will be on Foreign Affairs.
| Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico |
You can be sure that we’ll be in close touch with our all our senators and representatives to press our case on getting the US more involved in international peacekeeping, and on stressing diplomacy, rather than arms, to settle conflicts. Hope and excitement are the prevailing moods as the New Year, and the new Congress, begin!
— Don Kraus, CEO
