Rep. Bera elected ‘Ranking Member’ of House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific

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Dr. Ami Bera, Democratic Congressman from California’s 6^th District, was elected Feb. 8, 2023, as ‘Ranking Member’ of House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific, for the 118^th Congress.

The ranking position is the senior-most member representing the minority party in particular committees in Congress.

“I am proud to continue my leadership on the House Foreign Affairs Committee as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific remains the most consequential region of the world for our national security, economic interests, and values,” Bera said in a statement after he was elected.

“I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address the many challenges facing the region, including the People’s Republic of China’s aggressive and coercive actions, the dire need for economic recovery post-pandemic, and the backsliding of democracy and human rights,” Bera added.

“I look forward to continuing to help lead the Subcommittee’s bipartisan work towards supporting a more free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” the Indian-American Congressman said.

Rep. Bera has served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee since entering Congress in 2013.

During the 117^th Congress during which Democrats had the majority in the House of Representatives, Bera was the Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation.

According to the press release from his office, Bera spearheaded efforts to reinvigorate U.S. relationships with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, last yaer.

He visited Japan, South Korea, India, and Vietnam as Chair and “has worked to build strong relationships with government and civil society leaders in the region,” his office said.

In December 2022, President Biden signed into law four Bera-led provisions that bolster American security and leadership in the Indo-Pacific, his office said.

The four Bera-led provisions were:

• The Indo-Pacific Engagement Act: Bipartisan legislation directing the Assistant Secretaries for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and South and Central Asian Affairs at the State Department, along with the Assistant Administrator for the Asia Bureau at U.S. Agency for International Development, to provide an independent assessment of the resources they need to fulfill the Indo-Pacific Strategy.
• Countering China Economic Coercion Act: Bipartisan legislation that would establish the first-ever interagency task force to respond to the People’s Republic of China’s growing economic coercion against governments, businesses, organizations, and individuals.
• The Taiwan Peace and Stability Act: Bipartisan legislation that signals a path forward on U.S. policy toward Taiwan. Specifically, the legislation drives a whole of government review of options to enhance deterrence over a cross-Strait conflict, strengthens U.S. support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the international community, and advances U.S.-Taiwan economic ties.
• The Taiwan Fellowship Act: Bipartisan legislation that would give U.S. policymakers the opportunity to live and work in Taiwan, equipping them with better knowledge of the region’s history, culture, and political dynamics, while expanding expertise in the Mandarin Chinese language.

Rep. Bera also serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the 118^th Congress.