In a major milestone on Capitol Hill for the Sikh American community, a bi-partisan group of United States lawmakers led by California Democrat and Congresswoman Judy Chu and California Republican Congressman David Valadao on Wednesday announced the formation of an American Sikh Congressional Caucus in the US House of Representatives.
Meeks, a ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats, on Wednesday (local time) underscored "Congress' support for the US-India partnership," following his meeting with Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
Democratic Congressman Ami Bera and his Republican colleague George Holding would be the new co-chairs of the powerful Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.
Waltz after being elected as the Co-Chair of India Caucus in January last year had said that India is the world's largest democracy and an important strategic partner for the United States.
US Senators Christopher Dodd, Connecticut Democrat and John Cornyn, Texas Republican have launched an attempt to revive the largely comatose US Senate India Caucus.
McDermott last co-chaired the Caucus from 2000-2002 and Wilson from 2002-2004. They will succeed Representatives Gary Ackerman, New York Democrat and Ileana Ros Lehtinen, Florida Republican.
Bera's revised statement, three days after he publicly announced to join the Caucus, is considered to allay concerns of the Indian Government that the newly-made Caucus in the United States carries some individuals and groups, who in the past had indulged in anti-India activities including the separatist Khalistan movement.
'Since neither al Qaeda nor the remnants of the Taliban have submarines, armoured fighting vehicles or airplanes, we are gravely concerned that the systems being provided to Pakistan are intended to be used against Indian capabilities.'
United States Congressmen Ed Royce, California Republican, and Joe Crowley, New York Democrat, have been both unanimously selected to co-chair the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.
During the meeting, the leadership of the India Caucus, which is the largest country-specific caucus in the House of Representatives, condemned the violence on January 26 in Delhi.
India-US relations, like Rome, were not built in a day, nor can they be demolished in a day.
All said and done, when the new global order emerges, India can only remain with the democracies, asserts Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
'The President-elect firmly believes we can avoid conflict with the Chinese Communist party because they need our markets.'
This is the highest number of Indian-Americans in the history of the US Congress.
US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, newly elected co-chair of the influential Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, discusses her vision for US-India ties with Rediff.com's Monali Sarkar.
By picking Rubio and Waltz as his top diplomat and NSA guarantees a continuation of bi-partisan support and further strengthening of India-US relationship under the second Trump administration.
South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson has been named the Republican Co Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans.
India is "very important" for America's foreign policy and crucial for the stability and peace in the region, an influential US lawmaker said on Thursday. "India is a very important part of the United States foreign policy," Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who is co-chair of the Congressional caucus on Pakistan and heads the Afghan caucus said at a panel discussion in Washington.
New York Democrat Gary Ackerman was arguably considered one of the most cerebral and strategic thinkers on foreign policy. He has been a regular visitor to India and a conspicuous presence at Indian American events and has a daughter-in-law who's Indian American too.
'That they don't have a say in the UN, like China, is hard for me to understand,' says US Congressman Joseph Crowley.
US Congressman Jim McDermott, the Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, has urged President-elect Barack Obama that when he makes his first overseas trip as President that it be to India.
For years, Congressman Brad Sherman, California Democrat, a senior member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the ranking Democrat on its Subcommittee on Terrorism has enjoyed the largesse of the Indian American community that has contributed generously to his campaign coffers.
Over the last few weeks, bipartisan support for India against China has been increasing.
US Congressman Frank Pallone, the founder and former co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans has slammed the Bhopal court's verdict of just a two year jail term for those responsible for the Bhopal tragedy as "outrageous" and said that erstwhile Union Carbide chief executive Warren Anderson should stand trial in India along with the others culpable for this carnage and receive the maximum punishment for the worst industrial disaster in the world.
It behooves US to encourage integration of India into the Asia-Pacific, says US Congressman Ed Royce.
One of India's closest friends in the United States Congress, Representative Gary Ackerman, New York Democrat, on Tuesday asked Obama administration's point man for South Asia Robert Blake, as to what would happen if after the nuclear disaster in Japan, India may decide to forego the US-India civilian nuclear deal and rely more heavily on Iran for its energy requirements.
In yet another sign of deepening relationship between India and the United States, the Friends of Indian Caucus in the US Senate is holding a rare Congressional reception for the new Indian Ambassador to the US, Meera Shankar.
McDermott trade amendment to reinstate GSP benefits to India is approved by US House.
United States Congressman Jim McDermott has introduced major new legislation to, in his words, "unite the two great democracies of India and the United States together in development of new and renewable energy supplies". The legislation seeks to establish a Congressional Commission on Renewable Power Technology Commerce with India to study methods for improving and promoting bilateral renewable energy cooperation with India.
Joe Wilson told the US House of Representatives that the strategic partnership would ensure future security and prosperity.
'India has to think about modulating its position on Iran,' says US Congressman and India ally Gary Ackerman.
Deputy Secretary of State William Burns has echoed under secretary of state for political affairs Wendy Sherman's belief that Indians and Americans should consider themselves fortunate and thankful to have a diplomat in the caliber of Nirupama Rao in Washington, DC.
Gary Ackerman, New York Democrat, while acknowledging that he has been one of the strongest critics of President George Bush on his foreign policy, has said however, that in the case of India, Bush had got it "absolutely right."
Though the Indian caucus in the Obama administration is concerned over the recent reports concerning Pakistan's funds being used against India, it may be unable to bring any changes in the Kerry-Lugar bill that has assured Pakistan of USD 1.5 billion on an annual basis for five years.
"This is not what my grandfather sacrificed years in jail for," Ro Khanna said.
The "Samosa caucus" comprises of five Indian-American lawmakers, including four members of the House of Representatives and Senator and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Congressman Jim McDermott, who represents Washington state -- who incidentally voted against the enabling legislation also known as the Hyde Act two years ago -- said, "The likelihood of Congress taking up the nuclear issue again before the end of the year is, it will be very difficult."
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