Following a tumultuous campaign season, Americans will have elected a new president and Congress just a week before the CIEE Annual Conference. Where does the new president stand on privately funded exchange programs? What does the new composition of Congress mean for the budget process? What about immigration issues? How might exchanges fare? Who are the most likely people to run the critical congressional committees? What about the impact of the presidential campaign on public perception? Come learn about these issues and what the international exchange community can do to promote greater understanding and support of its programs.
2. Our mission:
As the voice of international exchange, the Alliance
promotes the growth and impact of exchange
programs and the effectiveness of its members by
engaging in advocacy, providing member
development opportunities, and building public
awareness of the power of exchanges.
We believe in the power of exchanges to connect people in profound
ways across cultures, borders, and generations. By doing so we:
• Increase mutual understanding
• Support U.S. national security & foreign policy
• Strengthen the U.S. economy
About the Alliance
3. Activities and Issues
Advocacy,
Member and Program Development,
Public Awareness:
Appropriations for Department of State international exchanges
J-1 visa regulations
Engage with: Congress, Department of State, U.S. Embassies and
Consulates and other stakeholders
4. President-Elect Donald J. Trump
Campaign underpinnings:
- Anti-establishment
- Isolationism
- Rigged system
Called for termination of J-1
SWT program
in August 2015 but:
5. Vice President-Elect Mike Pence
• Governor of Indiana
• Former Member of the House
of Representatives (2001-
2013)
• “Bridge to the Establishment”
Pence as “CEO”, Trump as “Chairman of the Board”
Pence = deficit-hawk, ideological-evangelical
6. Potential Trump Cabinet
Secretary of State
o Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
o Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) – Foreign Relations Committee Chair
o Former Ambassador to the UN John Bolton
Secretary of Defense
o Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
o Former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley
o Former Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO)
Attorney General
o Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani
o NJ Governor Chris Christie
Chief of Staff: Reince Priebus
Senior Counselor & Chief Strategist: Stephen Bannon
7. New Congress – Friends
SENATE
Patrick Leahy (D-VT) – SFOPS
Lindsay Graham (R-SC) – SFOPS
John Boozman (R-AR) – SFOPS
Roy Blunt (R-MO) – SFOPS
Ron Johnson (R-WI) – SFRC
HOUSE
Kay Granger (R-TX) – SFOPS
Nita Lowey (D-NY) – SFOPS
Charlie Dent (R-PA) – SFOPS
Ed Royce (R-CA) – HFAC
Eliot Engel (D-NY) – HFAC
Steve Pearce (R-NM) – Caucus
Jim Himes (D-CT) – Caucus
Rob Bishop (R-UT) – Tax Deduction
Joe Crowley (D-NY) – Tax Deduction
8. New Congress – Roles
Speaker Paul Ryan – face challenges?
Foreign Relations
o Will Chairman Corker (R-TN) take a cabinet post?
State-Foreign Operations Subcommittees
o Senate:
• Will Sens. Graham (R-SC) and Leahy (D-VT) remain in leadership positions?
o House:
• Rep. Granger may change committees and vacate Chairmanship
• Rep. Lowey likely to stay on as Ranking Member
• Committee member Tom Rooney (R-FL) could assume leadership position if
Granger vacates
9. Trump Administration
Focus on Defense Spending
o Very likely at the expense of Non-Defense (programs and staffing)
Threat to federally-funded & private-sector State Department exchanges
No Agreement on Immigration Reform
o If any action, likely “nibbling” around security issues
10. Challenges Ahead
Debt Ceiling Expires in March 2017
Immigration Reform
o “Extreme vetting”
o Visa bills
o Labor issues
o Anti-trafficking issues
Relationships with International Allies
11. Time to Take Action
Key Elements of a Campaign:
Identify decision-makers and opinion-makers who are important to you
Create and share information/reports showing impact in their
communities
Connect them to exchange participants
Data collection and dissemination is CRITICAL
12. Messaging
1. Exchange programs support U.S. national security & foreign policy
interests
2. Exchange programs strengthen the U.S. economy
3. Exchange programs increase mutual understanding
13. Connect Visitors to Officials
Add elected officials and the media to your mailing lists for periodic positive
exchange updates
Take exchange participants and hosts to visit with elected officials and their
staff
Invite elected officials and the media to local events, e.g. J Day, panel
discussions
Recognize an elected official with an award
Engage in Advocacy, e.g. town hall meetings, letter-writing campaigns, in-
person meetings, phone calls
14. International Exchange & Study Caucus
• Goal: Raise awareness of the importance & benefits of international exchange and study
programs, both for Americans traveling abroad and for international citizens coming to the
U.S. for meaningful exchange experiences.
• Bipartisan: 12 Republicans, 19 Democrats
• Alliance Role: Briefings, Monthly Exchanges Digest
Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT)
15. Stay in Touch!
Ilir Zherka, Executive Director
izherka@alliance-exchange.org
Laine Cavanaugh, Manager for Public and Member Affairs
lcavanaugh@alliance-exchange.org
www.alliance-exchange.org
202.293.6141