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CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON INDIA AND INDIAN-AMERICANS
MISSION STATEMENT
108TH CONGRESS
The Congressional Caucus on
India and Indian-Americans serves as a forum in which Members of
Congress may address the concerns vital to this important South
Asian nation. By promoting dialogue on issues of interest to
India and the Indian-American community, the Caucus strives to
strengthen bilateral relations between the United States and
India, promote trade with India, enhance economic development in
India, and improve the overall standard of living for Indians
and Indian-Americans.
The Caucus will focus primarily on three
issue areas:
- U.S.-Indian
Relations, to include trade,
security cooperation, global terrorism, and economic and
humanitarian assistance.
- Developments in
India and on the Indian Sub-Continent,
to include economic development, health care, inter-communal
relations, the status of religious and other minorities,
corruption, and the Tibetan exile community.
- Issues of Interest
to the Indian-American Community,
including the facilitation of trade and commerce with India,
small business, visas, education, health care, and the
promotion of Indian culture in the United States.
The Caucus will pursue its
work with the assistance of Task Forces, which focus on five
critical issues:
- Healthcare and HIV/AIDS
in India
- Technology and Trade
- Economic Development
and U.S. Economic Assistance
- Kashmir,
- Indian-American Issues
To facilitate dialogue on
these critical issues, the Caucus will solicit briefings from
the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International
Development, non-governmental organizations, international
organizations, officials from India and elsewhere in the
sub-continent, and other organizations involved in Indian or
Indian-American affairs. It is hoped that the Caucus will have
the opportunity to meet with Indians traveling to the United
States who are involved in issues of interest to the Caucus.
The Caucus will also work to provide its
members with information on developments in India, including
ongoing summaries of political and economic developments,
legislation of interest, media reports, and press releases and
other materials that members can use to communicate their
activities to constituents. From time to time, the Caucus will
sponsor events to commemorate or celebrate Indian holidays,
festivals, and other special occasions.
CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON INDIA AND INDIAN-AMERICANS
PROPOSED
ACTIVITIES
108TH CONGRESS
The Caucus will serve primarily as a forum
for information-sharing on issues affecting India and the
Indian-American community. The Caucus will therefore seek to
undertake the following efforts and engage in the following
activities:
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Arrange regular briefings on legislative and
policy initiatives and other issues of interest to Caucus
members by U.S. officials, visiting officials from India and
the Sub-Continent, leaders of the Indian-American community,
and other experts on subjects of interest to the Caucus; one
topic in particular would be the mutual problem of global
terrorism that the U.S. and India face.
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Providing regular summaries of ongoing
developments in India, the Sub-Continent, and the
Indian-American community.
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Creating a “Brain Trust” of the past Chairman
of the India Caucus to utilize their skills and knowledge of
Indian issues.
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Offering draft op-ed columns, speeches, or
other outreach materials on issues of interest to members.
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Arranging a conference for Indian-American
business leaders to discuss trade and economic development
on the subcontinent with members of the Caucus.
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Organizing a 10-year celebration of the
creation of the India Caucus.
- Organizing events for
Indian holidays, festivals, and other special occasions.
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STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND
CAUCUS BY-LAWS
I. STATEMENT OF
PURPOSE
The Congressional Caucus on India and
Indian Americans shall be a bi-partisan organization of Members
of the United States Congress. Its goals shall be to:
(1) advocate the interests of the more
than one million Americans in the United States who were born in
India or are of Indian ancestry, and;
(2) promote and strengthen relations
between the United States, the world’s oldest democracy, and
India, the world’s largest democracy.
II. ELECTION AND DUTIES OF THE
CO-CHAIRS
The Caucus shall
have two Co-Chairs, one Republican and one Democrat. The
Co-Chairs shall serve for a period of two years, starting at the
end of a Congress. A Co-Chair may not succeed himself or
herself for a second Congress, and shall not be eligible to
serve as Co-Chair for a period of at least four years from the
date the Member last served as Co-Chair. The Co-Chairs shall
have the authority to call meetings, schedule speakers and
provide general organizational support for the Caucus. However,
the Co-Chairs are expected to consult regularly with the Caucus
and keep the Members of the Caucus informed of their
activities. Election of the Co-Chairs shall be by motion by an
existing Member of the Caucus at a meeting held at the end of a
Congress. Election shall be by a simple majority of those
Caucus Members present and voting.
III. ELECTION AND DUTIES OF THE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Caucus shall
have an Executive Committee of eight Members, four Republicans
and four Democrats. Members of the Executive Committee shall be
nominated by a Member of the Caucus and shall be elected by a
simple majority of the Caucus Members present. A Member may
serve as a Member of the Executive Committee for no more than
four successive Congresses.
IV. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO HEAD TASK
FORCES
The Caucus
Co-Chairs shall appoint Members of the Caucus to serve as head
of various Task Forces. These Task Forces will allow more
Caucus Members to assume visible leadership roles in the Caucus.
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