Friend -
In this "year the world votes," we saw another round of elections with critical implications for us, from the UK to France to Venezuela. Not to mention our own share of political intrigue here at home.

As we do every election cycle, USGLC's presence at both the Republican and Democratic conventions, underscores our commitment to uplifting America's role in the world--no matter the outcome in November.

I was in Milwaukee at the Republican convention earlier this month and will be in Chicago for the Democratic convention in a few weeks, partnering with the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), respectively.

As for our first event with IRI, it drew an over-capacity crowd of nearly 500 guests for a panel discussion with top Republican national security leaders making the conservative case for international engagement.

Check out our 2-minute highlight video here:

And read below for The Global Gab with our latest from the conventions, an update on elections around the world, NATO Summit, and so much more.

Best,
Liz
Liz Schrayer, USGLC

THE GLOBAL GAB
July 30th, 2024

THE YEAR THE WORLD VOTES. Over a billion people have already cast votes at the ballot box this year as another consequential round of elections took place this month in the UK, France, and Venezuela.

* The Labour party's landslide win in the UK -- the first in 14 years -- has ushered in a new political era for our Ally across the pond with new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. We're watching to see what the appointment of Foreign Secretary David Lammy will mean for investments in global development, since before 2020 the Brits represented the gold standard, investing 0.7% of GDP in Overseas Development Assistance.

* France's own political future is more uncertain as the snap legislative elections empowered the far right (and left), leaving no party with an absolute majority in the National Assembly. A weakened President Emmanuel Macron is now trying to cobble together a coalition. Despite the polarization, it's good to see support for Ukraine remains strong.

* In Venezuela, the socialist leader Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in a contested election widely seen as unfair and unfree. Secretary Antony Blinken expressed "serious concerns that the results announced do not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people," in an election that could have far-reaching implications after 6.5 million Venezuelans have already fled the country.

CRISIS WATCH. 2024 has been a year of converging crises with the UN warning that 300 million people will need humanitarian assistance around the world. Here's some of the latest:

* Sudan is currently in a dire crisis caused by 14 months of civil conflict and the systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid by the warring parties. At least 15,500 people have been killed, with over 10 million displaced within the country, making it the largest global displacement crisis. The U.S. has invited the parties to participate in talks in Switzerland on August 14. We'll be watching closely.

* Bangladesh is grappling with ongoing violence after student protests erupted following the reinstatement of a quota system reserving government jobs for families of veterans of Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence. In the past two weeks, 200 people have been killed and nearly 2,700 people had been arrested.

* On the Israel-Hamas war, Secretary Blinken said a hostage deal and ceasefire is "inside the 10-yard line" though "the last 10 yards are often the hardest." This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed U.S. lawmakers in Washington and the region braces for new hostilities following Hezbollah's deadly attack on an Israeli-Druze village that raises fear of an escalated front in the North.

NATO@75 CELEBRATES STRENGTH. Here in Washington, the world saw a remarkable display of Western unity and strength for the 75th NATO Summit, with a primary focus on defending Ukraine from Russia's brutal war.

* The 32-country alliance formally declared China to be a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war in Ukraine with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stating: "It's important we recognize the reality... that not only are Iran and North Korea important when it comes to enabling Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, but China is the main enabler... and it's the first time that all NATO allies state this so clearly."

CONVENTION WATCH. Senator JD Vance was selected as Donald Trump's running mate, President Biden stepped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Harris who is now vetting her own potential running mates. As USGLC has done every election cycle, the team was on the ground for the Republican National Convention (RNC) and will head to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) next month - to amplify voices advocating for America's enduring role in the world.

RNC MILWAUKEE REVIEW. USGLC teamed up with the International Republican Institute (IRI) to host an over-capacity event at the RNC with close to 500 convention participants, featuring leading Republican national security officials explaining why U.S. global leadership benefits the American people. Watch the 2-minute highlight video with key quotes like:

* "It's only when we provide leadership and collaboration that we will see our partners step up. We need to lead. America needs to lead."
- Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Senate Armed Services Committee

* "It's a nasty world with nasty dictators. And if we actually all care about this rules-based order that we've been talking about for so long, if we actually care about the West leading, then we need to get serious, not just in rhetoric but in policy."
- Morgan Ortagus, State Department Spokesperson (2019-2021)

* "Any way you look at the world today, the most important thing is to defeat Russia in Ukraine... If you want to send President Xi a message, beat Putin in Ukraine."
- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Republican Leader

* "What I see in the future is free men and free women and free markets being promoted by this country. I see a country that's confident and an economy that's booming and working with our neighbors and our friends and our allies, and I see freedom back on the march."
- Robert O'Brien, National Security Advisor (2019-2021)

DNC CHICAGO PREVIEW. Next month, USGLC heads to Chicago to host top national security leaders on the Democratic side of the aisle at the DNC, working with the National Democratic Institute (NDI). Stay tuned for more.

TALE OF TWO PLATFORMS. The 16-page Republican platform included emphasis on "Peace through Strength" and commitment to "strengthening alliances [and] economic, military, and diplomatic capabilities." While the 80-page Democratic platform -- though not yet formally endorsed -- states that "we must rally the world to address the challenges that impact all of us - from climate change and global health to human rights, technology, food security, and inclusive economic growth."

SPEAKER JOHNSON'S INNER REAGAN. In his first major foreign policy speech - delivered at the Hudson Institute - Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) spoke to the growing number of threats to our nation and framed his worldview around President Ronald Reagan's "Peace through Strength" mantra. Johnson asserted that "absent American leadership, we're looking at a future that could be well-defined by communism and tyranny, rather than liberty and opportunity and security."

POLL: U.S. WANTS TO LEAD. A recent Reagan Institute Poll shows a growing majority of the American public that wants us to be more engaged in the world, not less. The last six months have shown a 12-point increase in the percentage of Americans who want the United States to be more engaged in world events. "In addition, the poll found that more than three-quarters of Americans believe that U.S. leadership in the world is essential for promoting trade and boosting our economy (78%)." Check out the full Reagan Institute survey results

BUDGET WATCH. Ahead of Congress's August recess, Senate Appropriators have been hard at work on their spending bills for next year - including the State-Foreign Operations (SFOPS) bill that funds the vast majority of the International Affairs Budget. Just a few weeks after the House passed a steep 11% cut to the SFOPS bill, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a 5.6% funding boost on a strong bipartisan vote.

* This is good news when it comes to ensuring America has the tools to tackle escalating global threats--from strategic competition with China to Russia's war on Ukraine to compounding humanitarian crises. Given the realities of the spending caps imposed by Congress, the Senate action is a strong step in the right direction, and importantly, would reverse the significant 6% cut to U.S. development and diplomacy tools included in last year's final spending deal.

* Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) explained the enduring importance of the International Affairs Budget, saying "To the people who want to just get rid of State, foreign ops, foreign aid, then you better buy more bullets, because if we don't stay engaged in the world, we're going to pay a heavy price."

* We also saw good news in the House with the overwhelming 43-2 vote in the Foreign Affairs Committee to reauthorize the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC), a critical component in America's strategy to outcompete China by ensuring America remains the partner of choice for developing nations.

GO TEAM USA. As U.S. Olympians continues to dazzle in Paris, it's worth taking note of the unifying power of sports diplomacy. Earlier this summer, USGLC hosted NBA Superstar and State Department Sports Ambassador Stephen Howard at the Global Impact Forum where he said, "Sports breaks down barriers... and exposes young men and women to the values of America."

And check out the latest Liz's 360 for more from around the world!

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