The Kurdish-American Congressional Caucus
As a standing symbol of continued friendship and cooperation between the United States and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Congressmen Lincoln Davis (D-TN.) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) formally created a Kurdish caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, aimed at building American-Kurdistan Regional Government ties and friendship.
The caucus is a bipartisan organization with the goal to promote understanding of Kurdish interests, provide accurate and timely information about issues affecting the Kurdish people, and recommend initiatives which will:
- Promote American-Kurdish friendship and cooperation on issues of mutual interests in the Executive Branch, the U.S. Congress, and the general public;
- Advocate the interests of the more than 50,000 Kurds in the U.S.;
- Promote and strengthen people-to-people relations between American and Kurdish communities worldwide.
The group is co-chaired by Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and Rep. Steve Rothman, D-N.J. Members attend Kurdish-American functions and events on Capitol Hill and at the KRG Office, blocks from the White House. The Caucus continues to grow, and new members join regularly.
Members and previous members include:
HOUSE MEMBERS
1. Brian Bilbray (R-CA)
2. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
3. Jo Bonner (R-AL)
4. Russ Carnahan (D-MO)
5. Mike Coffman (R-CO)
6. Jim Cooper (D-TN)
7. Joseph Crowley (D-NY)
8. Jeff Duncan (R-SC)
9. Keith Ellison (D-MN)
10. Bob Filner (D-CA)
11. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
12. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)
13. Sam Graves (R-MO)
14. Gene Green (D-TX
15. Brian Higgins (D-NY)
16. Jim Himes (D-CT)
17. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
18. Tim Holden (D-PA)
19. Steve Israel (D-NY)
20. Walter Jones (R-NC)
21. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)
22. Michael McCaul (R-TX)
23. Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
24. James Moran (D-VA)
25. Tom Petri (R-WI)
26. Joe Pitts (R-PA)
27. Mike Quigley (D-IL)
28. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)
29. Steve Rothman (D-NJ), Co-Chair
30. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA)
31. Pete Sessions (R-TX)
32. Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD)
33. Tim Walberg (R-MI)
34. Tim Walz (D-MN)
35. Allen West (R-FL)
36. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Co-Chair
37. Todd Young (R-IN)
Former members:
1. Michael Arcuri (D-NY)
2. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
3. Lincoln Davis (D-TN)
4. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD)
5. Bart Gordon (D-TN)
6. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI)
7. Joe Sestak (D-PA)
8. John Shadegg (R-AZ)
