WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Bill Cassidy, and Michael Bennet introduced the bipartisan Summit of the Americas Act to affirm and strengthen U.S. diplomatic leadership in the Western Hemisphere. The Summit of the Americas, which occurs every three years, convenes heads of state to bolster ties and promote regional partnership. Bipartisan companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Joaquin Castro, and María Elvira Salazar.
“Our country is strongest when we trust and work with our neighbors,” said Hickenlooper. “The Summit of the Americas helps us tackle the world’s largest issues and strengthens our relationships with our democratic partners in the Western Hemisphere.”
“All politics are local. The United States does better when the rest of the Western Hemisphere does well,” said Dr. Cassidy. “The Summit of the Americas establishes a pathway by which we can talk about making the hemisphere better off.”
“Coloradans understand that the Americas share more than a hemisphere; we share a braided culture, an economy, and a common destiny that we must write together. We demonstrated this at the successful Cities Summit of the Americas in 2023 and must continue working to deepen these relationships by institutionalizing such summits at least every four years,” said Bennet.
“As Executive Director of the Biennial of the Americas, which proudly hosted the inaugural Cities Summit of the Americas, I wholeheartedly support the Summit of the Americas Act. This legislation is vital for empowering local leadership and fostering subnational diplomacy across the hemisphere,” said FloraJane DiRienzo, Executive Director, Biennial of the Americas. “By strengthening collaboration and driving innovative solutions to shared challenges, it builds on our mission to unite diverse voices and create lasting impact. The Biennial remains committed to advancing this important work for a more connected, equitable, and prosperous future for the Americas.”
In 1994, President Bill Clinton convened the first Summit of the Americas to promote economic growth and prosperity throughout the Americas based on shared democratic values and the promise of increased trade. The summit elevates global issues like climate change and immigration as well local struggles that often don’t receive their fair share of attention. The U.S. hosted the ninth summit in Los Angeles in 2022 and Denver hosted the first-ever Cities Summit of the Americas in 2023, which hosts city, state, and municipal leaders from throughout the Western Hemisphere to build new economic opportunities.
Specifically, the Summit of the Americas Act directs the Secretary of State to support the Summit of the Americas and codify a unit to track commitments to the Summit and work with its partners in other agencies to ensure continued U.S. participation. The bill also expresses support for the new Cities Summit of the Americas to continue as a key element of the larger convention.
Hickenlooper led the effort to support Colorado’s bid to host the Summit of the Americas and spoke at the first-ever Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver in 2023. As Mayor of Denver, Hickenlooper helped to create the Biennial of the Americas to foster innovation and cultural exchanges between Colorado and the Western Hampshire. Hickenlooper championed the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Act, which created the “John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship” within the existing Fulbright U.S. Student Program to support Americans in the study of nonviolent civil rights movements abroad and foster intercultural exchanges. He also cosponsors the Increasing American Jobs Through Greater United States Exports to Africa and Latin America Act, which would support greater U.S. investment in the region.
Full text of the bill can be found HERE.
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