Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BRASILIA1407
2005-05-25 14:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Brasilia
Cable title:  

BRAZIL/US CONGRESS-TO-CONGRESS OUTREACH STRATEGY

Tags:  PREL PGOV KPAO SCUL BR 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRASILIA 001407 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/BSC AND ECA/PE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO SCUL BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL/US CONGRESS-TO-CONGRESS OUTREACH STRATEGY

REF: REITER/MALHEIRO EMAILS 5/18-19/2005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRASILIA 001407

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/BSC AND ECA/PE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO SCUL BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL/US CONGRESS-TO-CONGRESS OUTREACH STRATEGY

REF: REITER/MALHEIRO EMAILS 5/18-19/2005


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. In recent years, Mission Brazil has worked
hard to strengthen institutional links and dialogue between
the Brazilian and US Congresses. The overall strategy is to
increase contacts and interaction both among Members and
staffers based on the expectation of short- and long-term
benefits on issues of mutual interest, and particularly on
controversial topics where consolidating bilateral support
can push the agenda forward. We have used a variety of
tactics. We have organized and sponsored many visits to the
US by Brazilian Congresspersons and staff, we have worked
together with the American Chambers of Commerce in Brazil
(particularly in Sao Paulo) and with the Brazil-US Business
Council in Washington on joint projects, we have hosted
visiting US Members and staffers and facilitated their
contacts in Brazil, and we have worked closely with the
Brazilian Congress on topics of mutual interest --including
their efforts to revitalize their US-Brazil Caucus. There
have been two key foci of this project: free trade and
agriculture, and we are increasingly expanding into other
areas as well, such as institutional structures of Congress,
intellectual property, and human rights. This is an ongoing
project, there is no end-date or easily-achievable target.
Rather, it is something that we see as part-and-parcel of our
outreach and advocacy work and that we have built into our
long-term agenda. END SUMMARY.

FREE TRADE HAS BEEN KEY FOCUS
--------------

2. (SBU) The topic of free trade is a natural focus for this
project, given the US and Brazilian roles as co-chairs of the
FTAA negotiations. Many US officials have been impressed by
the support for FTAA in Brazil among the business and
financial communities, and in the cities and states. Yet
this support has not consolidated into a unified "free trade
movement" here. Thus we have worked hard to educate
officials in the Brazilian Congress about US perspectives,
how complexities such as congressional participation play out
during and after negotiations, and the recent history of free
trade pacts (e.g., NAFTA).

SUCCESS WITH BIOTECHNOLOGY
--------------

3. (SBU) The second hot topic is biotechnology. Through a

series of outreach projects the Brazilian debate over biotech
has come a long way in recent years --from a heated polemic
about US imperialism to a more-reasoned analysis of health,
environmental and economic factors. Brazilian farmers have
long used biotech seeds (notably Monsanto's Roundup Ready
soybean),but, because the regulatory regime here was so
uncertain, most of this use was borderline illegal. In March
2005, the Brazilian Congress passed the landmark "Biosafety
Law", favorable to US interests, that facilitates approval of
biotechnology products from research to planting. We believe
the Mission's intensive outreach was an important catalyst
for the law's passage.

US-BRAZIL CAUCUSES
--------------

4. (SBU) Underutilized partners in this process are the
Brazil Caucus in the US House and the parallel US "Frente" in
the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies. The two institutions are
similar: loosely-organized, including Members with a range
of views and ideologies, and driven by a handful of past and
present Members who follow bilateral issues most closely (in
the US House we note the interest of Reps. William Jefferson,
Cass Ballenger, Phil English, and Jim Kolbe). The US Frente
in the Brazilian lower house was once a handy vehicle for
anti-US rhetoric from Brazil's most left-wing politicians.
But recently, moderate Members and staffers who have visited
the US as part of our programming have begun to rethink the
Frente so it can become a more active and constructive
partner in the Congress-to-Congress dialogue. These efforts
are still inchoate, and the Frente (like the House Caucus)
has yet to reach its full potential. We also work closely
with other bodies in the Brazilian Congress, including the
Foreign Affairs Committee and the Special Committee for FTAA.


VISITS TO U.S. BY BRAZILIAN CONGRESS
--------------

5. (SBU) These are some of the programs for Brazilian
congressional officials organized in recent years by the
Mission:

- April 2002, Economic Impact / Biotechnology Codel. Federal
Deputy visits Washington to discuss consequences of
biotechnology regulation. International Visitor (IV) program
organized by Brasilia PA.
- December 2002, Economic Impact Staffdel. Five
Congressional staffers from both Senate and Chamber visit
Washington to observe negotiations in US congress on FTAA
issues. IV program organized by Brasilia PA.

- June 2003, Biotechnology Codel. 24-person delegation led
by seven Brazilian Federal Deputies (from left to right,
ideologically),plus scientists, NGO representatives, and GoB
officials visits Washington and St.Louis to discuss
biotechnology, including the regulatory framework,
legislation, and issues such as labeling and environmental
impact. Washington meetings include House Ag Committee, Dept
of Agriculture, and FDA. Organized by Brasilia FAS and POL.

- October 2003, Economic Impact Staffdel. Six-person group
of Brazilian Congressional staffers from various committees
(e.g., Agriculture, Foreign Affairs) visits Washington, New
York, and Houston to discuss free trade and its impact on
local economies. Washington meetings include House Ag and
International Relations Cttes and individual Members, Dept of
State, and USTR. IV program organized by Brasilia and Sao
Paulo PA, POL, ECON, and AmCham Sao Paulo.

- January 2004, Free Trade Codel. Six-person delegation
including five Federal Deputies visits Washington and Mexico
City to discuss free trade and get perspectives on NAFTA and
FTAA. Washington meetings include State Dept (U/S Larson),
USTR, House and Senate Ag Cttes, Rep Jim Kolbe and Rep Phil
English. Organized by Brasilia USAID, POL, and ECON.

- February 2004, Digital TV Staffdel. Six staffers from both
Senate and Chamber visit Washington to discuss digital TV
legislation and commercial practices. IV program organized
by Brasilia PA and FCS.

- March 2004, Public Relations Staffdel. Senior Senate
staffer visits Washington to learn about USG approaches to
public relations. IV program organized by Brasilia PA.

- April 2004, Human Rights / Biotechnology Codel. Federal
Deputy visits Washington to discuss biotechnology as well as
a range of human rights issues. Voluntary Visitor (VV)
program organized by Brasilia PA and POL.

- April 2004, Free Trade Staffdel. Eight-person group of
Brazilian Congressional staffers visits Washington, New York,
and Texas to discuss free trade, with perspectives of NAFTA
experience. VV program organized by Brasilia ECON, PA and
POL.

- May 2004, Economic Security Staffdel. Senate legislative
advisor visits Washington to discuss economic security. IV
program organized by Brasilia PA.

- July 2004, Economic Legislation Staffdel. Two-person group
(a Congressional legislative advisor and an analyst from
Brazilian National Confederation of Industries) visits
Washington to discuss economic legislation and interests. IV
program organized by Brasilia PA.

- April 2005, Functioning of Congress Staffdel. Six-person
group of Congressional staffers visits Washington, Boston,
and Annapolis to learn about administrative functions in
federal and state legislatures, including personnel,
security, legislative process, and "freshman orientation" for
newly-elected Members. This program is designed to launch a
series of exchange visits by staffers to share ideas on these
topics. VV program organized by Brasilia POL and PA.

- April 2005, Functioning of Congress Staffdel. Senior
Chamber staffer visits Washington to meet with the
Congressional Budget Office and USG experts on economic
forecasting. IV program organized by Brasilia PA.

- April 2005, Free Trade Codel. Six-person delegation of
Brazilian Congresspersons visits Washington and New Orleans
to discuss free trade, including Congressional participation
and implementation. Organized by Brasilia POL, with IRI as
implementer.

- for July 2005, Agriculture Codel. Delegation of eight
Members of the Chamber's Agriculture Committee to visit
Washington and Iowa to discuss agriculture policies,
including drought response, crop insurance, and
biotechnology. Organized by Brasilia FAS.


6. (SBU) Beyond these programs, the Mission maintains close
contact with key members of the Brazilian Congress on
specific issues of interest --for example with Sao Paulo
Federal Deputy Julio Semeghini who heads a committee on
intellectual property (U/S Larson met with Semeghini in
Brazil in 2004); and with Pernambuco Federal Deputy Carlos
Cadoca who is pushing a bill to exempt US visitors to Brazil
from visa requirements. In the other direction, many in the
US Congress have developed strong connections in Brazil in
recent years. Members including Sen. Bill Nelson, Speaker
Dennis Hastert, and Reps. Jim Kolbe and William Jefferson as
well as many staffers have cultivated contacts in the
Brazilian Congress through the Mission's efforts. Rep.
Jefferson in particular, has developed excellent ties in the
business, cultural, and afro-Brazilian communities here. We
would welcome greater engagement from the US Congress and
would be pleased to facilitate contacts, visits, and
exchanges of information and ideas with interested US
lawmakers.

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
--------------

7. (SBU) The Congress-to-Congress dialogue is an ongoing
project for Mission Brazil. With the turnover of Members and
staff in both Congresses and the revolving array of topics of
interest, we do not foresee an end-date to this effort. We
will continue programming visits of Brazilian lawmakers to
the US and other events (for example, the embassy and IRI are
sponsoring a seminar in the Brazilian Congress on Political
Reform in August). We are pleased to see periodic successes,
such as the passage of Brazil's Biosafety Law, or a dramatic
change in rhetoric among those with whom we work. In several
cases, we have observed Brazilian legislators who were
formerly outspoken anti-US activists become --if not pro-US
in outlook-- at least more educated on specific topics, less
likely to fill the press with unhelpful rhetoric, and more
interested in discussing topics constructively. This program
is an important element of the Mission's overall outreach and
advocacy, and we anticipate continuing and expanding our
efforts into the future.
DANILOVICH