WASHINGTON UPDATE
Ilir Zherka, Executive Director

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

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

President-Elect Donald J. Trump
Campaign underpinnings:
- Anti-establishment
- Isolationism
- Rigged system
Called for termination of J-1
SWT program
in August 2015 but:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

THANK
YOU