House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner announced the appointment of 20 members of Congress to the House Democracy Assistance Commission, including Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, who will serve her third term on the commission.

Rep. David Price, D-North Carolina, was reappointed as chairman, and Rep. David Dreier, R-California, was reappointed ranking minority member. Price and Dreier led the initiative that established the commission in 2005, and Capps is an original member.

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 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.

During 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 11 foreign legislatures.

“I am honored to serve another term on the House Democracy Assistance Commission,” Capps said. “The work that this commission does to foster fledgling democracies and strengthen America’s relationships with other countries is critically important. I look forward to working closely with Chairman Price, ranking member Dreier and all of the members of the commission.”

Other Democratic members appointed were: Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, Rep. Allyson Schwartz of Pennsylvania, Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey, Rep. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota, Rep. Sam Farr of California, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Rep. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard of California.

Other Republican members appointed were: Rep. John Boozman of Arkansas, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois, Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania, Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, Rep. Charles Boustany of Louisiana, Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas and Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida.

— Emily Kryder is communications director for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.