Salazar Joins Colleagues in Legislation to Boost U.S. Leadership at Summit of the Americas
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) joined Reps. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) and Joaquin Castro (D-TX) to introduce the Summit of the Americas Act.
As the Biden Administration continues to ignore Latin America as part of its core foreign policy efforts, the United States must once again take a leading role in our hemisphere, starting by writing into law our involvement in the Summit of the Americas.
“China, Russia, and Iran are breaking their way into the Western Hemisphere while the United States’ leadership fails to confront it,” said Rep. Salazar. “I am proud to support this initiative to inspire cooperation and build mutual prosperity in the Americas with the United States leading the charge.”
The Summit of the Americas is the primary summit for leaders of Western Hemisphere countries to gather and discuss common concerns, craft solutions, and deepen areas of collaboration. The meeting has convened every three years in cities across the Western Hemisphere since its inception in 1994 and was last held in Los Angeles in 2022.
The United States’ support for the Summit of the Americas should not be contingent on political administration. This legislation would direct the Secretary of State to support the organization of the Summit of the Americas and codify the existing implementation unit at the State Department to ensure continued implementation of Summit commitments.
To further deepen collaboration with our North American, Latin American, and Caribbean partners, this bill also advances subnational diplomacy across the hemisphere by directing the Secretary to work with our partners to organize Cities Summit of the Americas as part of the Summit of the Americas process. The Cities Summit of the Americas, pioneered for the first time in 2023, is a convening of city and community leaders across the hemisphere. Through the Cities Summit, representatives from government, civil society, business, academia, youth, culture, arts, and indigenous and underrepresented groups can share best practices and exchange lessons learned, extending regional cooperation to the most grassroots level.
“At a time when the future of American global leadership is in question, I am proud to introduce this legislation that reaffirms our commitment to engaging with our Western Hemisphere partners,” said Rep. Kamlager-Dove. “Tackling global and regional issues such as the climate crisis, migration, and inequality requires collaboration with our regional partners. The Summit of the Americas, last held in my district in Los Angeles, is a critical opportunity for leaders from across the hemisphere to address these issues and more. This bill pushes back against isolationism by ensuring that the United States will continue to play an important role in the Summit of the Americas and remain a reliable partner in the region.”
“Over the last several days, I’ve been honored to join my House and Senate colleagues on a Congressional delegation to visit with our counterparts in Latin America. More than any other part of the world, the future of the United States is intimately linked with that of our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere. The Summit of the Americans Act sends a powerful message that the United States will continue to be an active, engaged partner with a steadfast commitment to multilateral progress that advances democracy, protects freedom, and builds opportunity across our hemisphere,” said Rep. Castro.
To read the full text of the bill, click here.
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