WASHINGTON, DC – The Ripon Society and Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange held a reception last week with the bipartisan House and Senate Chiefs of Staff and Staff Directors Associations at the recently built Australian Embassy to celebrate the important democratic relationship between the United States and its longtime ally Australia.
The evening meeting featured remarks by the Australian Acting Head of Mission Jason Robertson as well as Ripon Society and Franklin Center President & CEO Jim Conzelman.
“We very much appreciate the support of Mr. Robertson, Senior Congressional Liaison Officer Elizbeth Willis and other Embassy staff for hosting us this evening,” stated Conzelman in his opening remarks.
“This year marks the 106th anniversary of Mateship between the United States and Australia,” he continued. “Our two countries have fought alongside each other in every major conflict since World War I. Promoting peace in the Indo-Pacific, Australia and the United States share deep-rooted democratic values and strong economic ties which are exemplified by the relationships being forged this very evening.”
According to Conzelman, last week’s reception was attended by a crowd of over 100 and was the 48th event The Ripon Society has held so far in 2024. He noted that The Ripon Society will hold its next discussion on October 24th, when National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Jason Thielman and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Chris Winkelman will share their thoughts on the 2024 election cycle. Conzelman added that the group is scheduled to hear from Senator Todd Young (R-IN) the following month.
The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.
Founded in 1978, The Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to enhancing global understanding of important international issues. The Franklin Center brings together Members of the U.S. Congress and their international parliamentary counterparts as well as experts from the Diplomatic corps, foreign officials, senior private sector representatives, scholars, and other public policy experts. Through regular conferences and events where leading international opinion leaders share ideas, the Franklin Center promotes enlightened, balanced, and unbiased international policy discussion on major international issues.
