United States Association of Former Members of Congress

United States Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC)

Founded	1970
Affiliation	United States Congress
Key people	Cliff Stearns, President[1]
Office location	Washington, D.C.
Country	United States
Website	http://usafmc.org/

The United States Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization of over 500 former Members of the United States Congress.^[2]

History

The United States Association of Former Members of Congress was founded in 1970 as an alumni organization,^[3] eventually becoming chartered by The United States Congress in 1983 under Chapter 703 of Title 36 of the United States Code.^[4]

Objectives and activities

The objectives of the United States Association of Former Members of Congress, which it seeks to achieve through its various programming, are (i) promoting and educating about public service and The United States Congress, (ii) strengthening representative democracy and (iii) keeping members connected after service.^[5][6]

Of the Association's various programming, the Congress to Campus program has been executed for over 35 years, through a partnership with the Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership.^[7][8][9]

The Association is also involved in the International Election Monitors Institute, which is a collaboration with the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians and the European Parliament Former Members Association to aid democracy building around the world.^[10]

The Congressional Study Groups

The United States Association of Former Members of Congress is home to The Congressional Study Groups. The Congressional Study Groups are independent, non-partisan international legislative exchanges committed to increasing bilateral and multilateral dialogue with the United States’ strategic allies." ^[11] There are currently Congressional Study Groups on Germany (formed in 1983), Japan (formed in 1993), Turkey (formed in 2005), and Europe (formed in 2011). The Congressional Study Group on Germany is the flagship program; it brings together members of the U.S. Congress and German government officials to collaborate on Germany-United States relations, and serves as the model for the other Study Groups.^[12] Leadership of The Congressional Study Groups, such as Tom Petri^[13] and Connie Morella^[14][15] have received awards from foreign governments for their work in supporting bilateral relations.

Leadership^[16]

Executive Committee:

• President: Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
• Vice President: Martin Frost (D-TX)
• Treasurer: Tom Petri (R-WI)
• Secretary: Karen Thurman (D-FL)
• Past President: Barbara Kennelly (D-CT)

Board of Directors:

Beverly Byron, Russ Carnahan, Bob Carr, Bob Clement, Jim Courter, James K. Coyne, III, Dave Camp, Bill Delahunt, Phil English, Louis Frey, Martin Frost, Dan Glickman, Bart Gordon, Margaret Heckler, James Robert Jones, Scott Klug, Jim Kolbe, Ken Kramer, Larry LaRocco, Matthew McHugh, Mike Parker, Ronald Sarasin, Richard Schulze, Jim Slattery, David Skaggs, Cliff Stearns, James Symington, Olympia Snowe, Mary Bono, Vic Fazio, Steve LaTourette, Albert Wynn.

Co-Chairs of The Congressional Study Groups:

• The Congressional Study Group on Germany: Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), Rep. Ted Deutch (D-OH)^[17]
• The Congressional Study Group on Japan: Sen. Mazie K. Hirono^[18] (D-HI), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rep. Billy Long (R-MO)
• The Congressional Study Group on Turkey: Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY)
• The Congressional Study Group on Europe: Sen. John Boozman (R-AK), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE),^[19] Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT)

References