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Floor Speech

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Mr. ROSS. I thank the Chair, and it is good to see the Chair in the chair. It is a pleasure, my friend.

I also want to congratulate Representative Bice on her exceptional leadership to the House Administration Subcommittee on Modernization.

It is my pleasure to report on FMC's Congressional Study Groups on Germany, Japan, Europe, and Korea. In keeping with our mission to support the Congress, FMC has established itself as a premier convener of bipartisan, non-advocacy, and candid discussion on timely issues at home and abroad.

By connecting Congress at the Member and staff levels with their international counterparts, the diplomatic community, academia, and the business community, we foster the mutual understanding, personal relationships, and continued presence that is essential for the productive functioning of this body for the American people.

All this important activity is accomplished through international Member and staff delegations overseas and roundtable programs here in Washington as well as in regional settings.

Together, the study groups are proud to count almost 200 current Representatives and Senators as members. Each study group is led by a bipartisan, bicameral group of four co-chairs. These dedicated co- chairs embody the study groups' commitment to meaningful and dynamic engagement and take the mission to heart by donating their valuable time and energy to support FMC's programming.

Beyond their contributions at official study group events, they actively collaborate with embassies and external organizations, participate in panels, attend roundtables, and meet with numerous visiting delegations to advance the objectives of their respective study groups and strengthen the international relationships they foster.

This year, we welcome my friend, Representative Andy Barr of Kentucky, who has become co-chair of the Congressional Study Group on Japan, and look forward to continuing to work with his predecessor, Larry Bucshon of Indiana, who will remain active in FMC as part of our board of directors following his retirement from elected office.

The work of the study groups would not be possible without the generous support of committed individuals, organizations, and Business Advisory Council members. In particular, I would like to recognize Dr. Satohiro Akimoto of Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, Thomas Byrne of The Korea Society, Sung Won Bae of the Korea Foundation USA, as well as the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission.

I include in the Record a list of the FMC's Business Advisory Council members. FMC'S BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL

Aflac, All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., Allianz, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., B. Braun Medical, Inc., BASF, Bayer, Beam Suntory, Central Japan Railway Co., CJ America, Mercedes Benz, Deutsche Telekom Inc., DHL, Hanwha Qcells America, Inc., Hitachi, Ltd., Hyundai Motor Group, ITOCHU International, Inc., JTI USA Inc., KITA, LG.

Lockheed Martin International, Sojitz Corporation of America, Tellurian, Toyota Motor North America, Inc., UPS, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., Lufthansa German Airlines, Marubeni America Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc., Mizuho Bank, Ltd., NEC Corporation of America, Nissan North America, Nomura, North American Subaru, Inc., Panasonic Corporation of North America, POSCO America Corporation, Representative of German Industry and Trade, Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Siemens Corporation. FMC'S ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Anna Schneider of Volkswagen; Jeff Werner of Panasonic; Nancy Ziuzin-Schlegel of LMCO; Brad Knox of Aflac; Danny O'Brien of Hanwha QCells America. FMC's DIPLOMATIC ADVISORY COUNCIL

H.E. Kevin Rudd, Ambassador of Australia to the U.S.; H.E. Jean-Arthur Regibeau, Ambassador of Belgium to the U.S.; H.E. Kirsten Hillman, Ambassador of Canada to the U.S.; H.E. Juan Gabriel Valdes, Ambassador of Chile to the U.S.; H.E. Catalina Crespo Sancho, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the U.S.; H.E. Miloslav Stasek, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the U.S.; H.E. Jesper M

H.E. Georg Sparber, Ambassador of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the U.S.; H.E. Nicole Bintner-Bakshian, Ambassador of Luxembourg to the U.S.; H.E. Maguy Maccario Doyle, Ambassador of Monaco to the U.S.; H.E. Birgitta Tazelaar, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the U.S.; H.E. Rosemary Banks, Ambassador of New Zealand to the U.S.; H.E. Anniken Huitfeldt, Ambassador of Norway to the U.S.; H.E. Jose Manuel Romualdez, Ambassador of the Philippines to the U.S.; H.E. Francisco Duarte Lopes, Ambassador of Portugal to the U.S.; H.E. Sheikh Meshal Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Ambassador of Qatar to the U.S.; H.E. Dan-Andrei Muraru, Ambassador of Romania to the U.S.; H.E. Lui Tuck Yew, Ambassador of Singapore to the U.S.; H.E. Angeles Moreno Bau, Ambassador of Spain to the U.S.; H.E. Urban Ahlin, Ambassador of Sweden to the U.S.; Karen Pierce, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the U.S.

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