Connie Morella: “Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Cliff, for the introduction and all of your comments, and particularly for…”

“Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Cliff, for the introduction and all of your comments, and particularly for your leadership of Former Members of Congress during this year. You have done a superlative job. Well, as you know, Former Members of Congress works with all Members of the congressional family. Our network also includes current Members of Congress and their senior staff to promote a collaborative, bipartisan, and effective approach to policymaking both at home and abroad. Our flagship programs for our colleagues who are still in office are the Congressional Study Groups on Germany, Japan, and Europe. The Congressional Study Groups are independent, bipartisan legislative exchanges that strive to create better understanding and cooperation between the United States and our most important strategic and economic partners abroad. Each study group has a membership roster of between 75 and 125 Members of Congress, and it is led by a bipartisan, bicameral pair of co-chairs who are currently in Congress. Our model celebrates active discussions among all participants, avoiding lengthy speeches or formal presentations, in order to create an atmosphere that promotes personal connections. We believe that the network of peers created via our programs have acted to renew and expand areas of mutual cooperation, especially in times of transition.…”