Gregory Meeks

FP4A supported H.R. 4346, the CHIPS and Science Act, which provides for bold investments in securing critical supply chains and strengthening U.S. capacity in strategically important sectors and fields, including semiconductors, STEM innovation and manufacturing, clean energy, quantum computing, and wireless technologies. The bill takes a pragmatic and responsible approach to managing U.S.-China competition, positioning the U.S. to con- tend with China economically and technologically, while guarding against threat inflation. The measure was the product of months of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations and enacted into law via a legislative vehicle originally introduced by Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH). It passed the Senate by a bipartisan 64-33 vote. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who supported this legislation.

FP4A supported H.R. 302, the Preventing a Patronage System Act, which would protect the integrity and professionalism of our foreign ser- vice. President Trump’s 2020 executive order placing executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policymaking, or policy-advocating character in a newly established Schedule F within the excepted service allowed him to replace professional and apolitical federal employees with unexperienced and untested loyalists. Building on President Biden’s early decision to abolish Schedule F, this legislation, introduced by Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA), would prevent any future administration from re-establishing the designation. It passed the House by a 225–204 vote. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who supported this legislation.

FP4A supported H.R. 8446, the Global Food Security Reauthorization Act of 2022, which re- authorized Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s main programmatic mechanism for tackling global hunger and malnutrition, for a further five years and with a 20% funding increase. It also includes structural reforms and updates to better address the disparate impact of food insecurity on women and girls, maternal and child health, small-holder engagement, and improved partnership models for promoting locally led solutions. The measure, introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), passed the House by a 331–95 vote and was enacted as section 5588 of H.R. 7776, the final FY2023 Nation- al Defense Authorization Act. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who supported this legislation.

FP4A supports intersectional approaches to addressing gender inequality and empowering women across every aspect of society. Backed by that vision, Foreign Policy for America chose to score a collection of bills that address the many ways and areas in which women are either marginalized or disproportionately impacted across the world. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who cosponsored more than 50% of these bills:

1. The Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights Act (H.R. 556), which would repeal the “Global Gag Rule” barring recipients of U.S. global health assistance from providing information, referrals, or services for legal abortion or advocating for access to abortion services in their country. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D- CA), concluded in the 117th Congress with 201 cosponsors in the House.
2. The Keeping Girls in School Act (H.R. 4134), which would allow USAID to make agreements that address social, cultural, health, and other barriers that young women face in accessing quality education. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL), concluded the 117th Congress with 107 cosponsors in the House.
3. The Support UNFPA Funding Act (H.R. 3938), which would affirm U.S. support for the mission and programs of the UN Population Fund—the UN’s lead sexual and reproductive health agency—and reauthorize U.S. contributions for five years. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), concluded the 117th Congress in 137 cosponsors in the House.
4. The Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality Act of 2021 (H.R. 3800), which would enhance protection for LGBTQI+ individuals around the world through directed support. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), concluded the 117th Congress with 129 cosponsors in the House.
5. Keeping Women and Girls Safe from the Start (H.R. 571), which would establish and authorize funding for a new foreign assistance program aimed at preventing and addressing gender- based violence around the world. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), concluded in the 117th Congress with 83 cosponsors in the House.
6. Girls LEAD Act (H.R. 1661), which would require a U.S. strategy to strengthen adolescent participation, particularly girls, in democracy and governance. This legislation, introduced by Rep. David Trone (D-MD), concluded the 117th Congress with 73 cosponsors in the House.
7. The Women and Climate Change Act (H.R. 260), which would require a U.S. strategy and interagency coordination to address the disparate impact on climate change on women and girls. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), concluded the 117th Congress with 71 cosponsors In the House.

FP4A supported H.R. 391, the Global Health Security Act of 2021, which will strengthen federal capacity to plan for and address global health security challenges. It codifies global health security programs and structures that the Biden and prior Administrations initiated, establishes mechanisms for interagency coordination, and invests in global health security and pandemic preparedness through a new multilateral facility. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA), passed the House by a 307–112 vote and was enacted as section 5559 et seq. of H.R. 7776, the final FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who supported this legislation.

FP4A supported H.R. 825, the Divided Families Reunification Act, which directs the Department of State to engage in and report on consultations with South Korea—and Korean Americans with family in North Korea—on opportunities for family reunification, addressing a critical humanitarian issue created by the current state of North Korea’s relationship with the rest of the international community. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), passed the House by a 415–0 vote, and was enacted as section 5599B of H.R. 7776, the final FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who supported this legislation.

FP4A supported H. Amdt. 2578 to H.R. 7900, the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which would have paused the development of a new Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program and its accompanying warhead (W87-1), taking a smarter approach to modernizing our existing ICBM systems. This would have not only served U.S. security interests by ensuring that our strategy remains focused on deterrence, but saved taxpayers tens of billions of dollars over the life of the program. The measure, introduced by Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), failed by a 118–309 vote. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who supported this amendment.