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WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan has been reappointed as Chairman of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP) for the 119th Congress by Speaker Mike Johnson. For more than a decade, Congressman Buchanan has actively served on the Commission, and he was initially appointed Chairman in 2023. Under his leadership, the House Democracy Partnership worked with more than 1,600 combined Members of Parliament and staff globally from 47 unique countries.
From December 9-11, 2024, HDP engaged with the National Assembly of Armenia on a program aimed to strengthen public participation in the legislative and budget process. The program featured a delegation led by former U.S. Representative and former Chair of the House Democracy Partnership Congressman David E. Price (D-NC). To support peer-to-peer learning, the program was also supported by Ewan Masson, Community Participation Manager of the Parliament of Scotland and Marci Harris, Executive Director of POPVOX Foundation.
The House Democracy Partnership (HDP) recently traveled to Skopje, North Macedonia, to implement a technical assistance consultancy (TAC) with the Assembly of North Macedonia. This exchange focused on enhancing transparent government through robust legislative ethics. Enhancing legislative ethics is crucial for promoting accountable governance and improving the Assembly's ability to foster ethical leadership and transparency.
The House Democracy Partnership, led by Chairman Vern Buchanan, traveled to INDOPACOM, Japan, the Philippines, Qatar, and Finland to engage in a series of dialogues with leaders and parliamentarians on relations with the United States in the context of the many ongoing conflicts abroad. These high-level parliamentary, military, and executive exchanges offered the opportunity for the Members of Congress to gain insight on regional tensions. The delegation included Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL), Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI), Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Rep.
The U.S. Congress convened a regional exchange in Miami, Florida, from September 7-8, titled “The Role of Parliaments in Transforming Digital Economies in the Caribbean.” As digital economies become increasingly vital to global growth, this exchange focused on the significant role of parliamentary leadership in advancing this transformation across the Caribbean, directly aligning with U.S. economic and regional security interests.
WASHINGTON, DC (July 15, 2024) -- Today, Chairman Vern Buchanan and Ranking Member Dina Titus of the House Democracy Partnership released a statement on The Gambian National Assembly's rejection of the bill to repeal the FGM ban:
The House Democracy Partnership (HDP) recently traveled to Jakarta, Indonesia and Dili, Timor-Leste to implement a technical assistance consultancy (TAC) with the staff of the Indonesia House of Representatives and National Parliament of Timor-Leste. This exchange covered topics and best practices for effective citizen and civil society organization (CSO) engagement by parliamentary staff for responsive lawmaking since they are the ones typically responsible for drafting legislation and informing policy development.
The House Democracy Partnership conducted a regional program in Skopje, North Macedonia in June to bring together research services staff from Albania, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and North Macedonia to share experiences and learn from international experts. The meeting also featured staff from the U.S. Congressional Research Service, researchers from the German Bundestag and a researcher from the Czech research services. The workshop allowed participants to exchange knowledge on challenges and share lessons and success stories.
WASHINGTON, DC (June 25, 2024) -- Today, Chairman Vern Buchanan and Ranking Member Dina Titus of the House Democracy Partnership released a statement on reports of violence unfolding in Kenya:
From April 21-26, 2024, the House Democracy Partnership was in Guatemala City, Guatemala to implement a new member orientation program with the staff and deputies of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala. This exchange covered foundational areas such as legislative drafting, rules and procedures, committee structures, constituent engagement, and executive oversight, which are critical for new members of a legislature to understand to effectively carry out their mandate.