Congress and the Institute Mission

Congressional Outreach Contacts Kay King Director, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs Phone: (202) 429-3832 Fax:    (202) 429-6063 E-mail: kking@usip.org Anne Hingeley Congressional Liaison, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs Phone: (202) 429-4175 Fax:    (202) 429-6063 E-mail: ahingeley@usip.org

Guide to Specialists Institute experts available for commentary and analysis of breaking news developments.

Congressional Outreach Highlights July 27, 2004 - Senate Recognizes Institute of Peace as National Resource on Its 20th Anniversary Resolution sponsored by Senators Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), John Warner (R-Virginia), and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) honors the Institute on the 20th anniversary of its establishment. May 12, 2004 - Establishing the Rule of Law in Afghanistan Congressional Testimony by Robert M. Perito, Coordinator, Iraq Experience Project, Professional Training Program, U.S. Institute of Peace. April 21, 2004 - The Iraqi Shi'i Community: Between Sistani, Muqtada, the IGC, and the CPA Congressional Testimony by Amatzia Baram, Senior Fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace. April 21, 2004 - Mosque & State: Religion & Politics in Iraq A Special Discussion on Capitol Hill sponsored by The Faith & Politics Institute and the United States Institute of Peace. March 17, 2004 - The Current Situation in Serbia and Montenegro Congressional Testimony by Dan Serwer, director of the Balkans Initiative and Peace and Stability Operations.

As a key element of its mission the U.S. Institute of Peace actively works to support U.S. policymakers by mobilizing the best talent from around the globe, through fellowships, grants, and in-house research, to provide policymakers with creative options to prevent, manage, and resolve international conflicts. To coordinate this work and to maintain close ties with Congress, the White House, and other executive agencies, the Institute's Office of Congressional and Public Affairs coordinates outreach and other efforts to engage the U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch in the Institute's work.

Ohio Representative Ralph Regula meets with the winners of the National Peace Essay Contest to discuss the intricacies of life in Congress and making foreign policy.

To give a brief idea of some of the many ways in which the Institute over the years has worked with U.S. policymakers through its education, training, research, and other programs, a brief overview of activities is provided below. For further information about the Institute's work with Congress, inquiries should be directed to Anne Hingeley in the Institute's Office of Congressional and Public Affairs.

Sample Institute Activities—At a Glance

Senator Edward Kennedy meets with Julia E. Tobias, a 1999 NPEC State Winner.

Educating America's Youth
The Institute enriches the education of generations of young Americans by strengthening the ability of schools—from high school through graduate school—to teach about international conflict and conflict management. For over a decade, as a key part of the Institute's National Peace Essay Contest, hundreds of students have met with their congressional representatives and administration officials to learn first hand about the challenges of making American foreign policy.

Raising Public Awareness
The Institute actively features leading thinkers on foreign and national security policy in its public events, publications, and web site to increase public understanding about the nature and means to prevent, manage, and resolve international conflicts. Over the years, the Institute has featured several members of Congress and administration officials in its public events.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice discusses national security and foreign policy challenges at the 2001 conference "Passing the Baton."

Supporting Policymakers
Through fellowships, grants, and in-house research, the Institute mobilizes the best talent from around the globe to provide policymakers with creative options to prevent, manage, and resolve international conflicts. Working with the leading thinkers from government, academia, and nongovernmental organizations, the Institute has gained a reputation for the quality of its independent research and policy assessments available to U.S. policymakers.

Outgoing Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott (left) discuss U.S.-Russia relations with former U.S. Institute of Peace board member and newly appointed Deputy National Security Adviser Steven Hadley at the 2001 Institute conference "Passing the Baton."

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Policymaking
Over the years the Institute has organized numerous special conferences, workshops, and symposia to introduce policymakers in both Congress and the Executive Branch to cutting-edge research on international conflict management. These occasions also provide opportunities to explore the vital current challenges to peace and global stability facing the international community. Bringing policymakers together with leading experts from academia and the private and non-profit sectors, recent events such as "9/11 a Year On" and "Passing the Baton" fulfill a key part of the Institute's mandate.