 | |
| Abbreviation | USINPAC |
|---|---|
| Formation | September 2002 |
| Founder | Sanjay Puri |
| Founded at | Washington, D.C. |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Legal status | Active |
| Purpose | India-United States relations, advocacy forIndian-Americans |
Region | United States,India |
| Website | USINPAC.com |
TheUnited States India Political Action Committee is apolitical action committee based inWashington, D.C.[1] Since its founding in 2002 by businessman Sanjay Puri, USINPAC has described its goal as "working closely with otherIndian-American organizations to promote fair and balanced policies, and create a platform to enable the entry of Indian Americans in the political process."[1] Particular issues of note have related tolegal immigration,counter-terrorism,business relations,global health,religious freedom,education, and US-India trade.[2] USINPAC has also donated significant funding to the political campaigns of bothDemocratic andRepublican politicians,[3] and pastSenate candidates supported by USINPAC includeAruna Miller,Aneesh Chopra,Vivek Kundra, andKesha Ram among others.[4] USINPAC is involved with the annual US business delegation to India, and has periodically held briefings for members of theUnited States Congress and theUnited States House of Representatives.[5] An active proponent of theH-1B Visa Program between 2003 and 2008,[6] USINPAC has also supported theU.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement,[7] theHyde Act,[6] theSection 123 Agreement,[1] theDomestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act,[8] and hate-crime expansions to theLocal Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA), among others.[6]
In September 2002,[9][10] Indian-American businessman Sanjay Puri and Vikram Chauhan[11] formally established the United States India Political Action Committee (USINPAC),[10] anon-profitpolitical action committee[12] based inWashington, D.C.[1] Surabhi Garg headed fundraising and operations,[11] while Puri became chairman in October 2002.[13] From the start USINPAC described its goal as "working closely with other Indian-American organizations to promote fair and balanced policies, and create a platform to enable the entry of Indian Americans in the political process."[1] Among other issues, starting in 2002 USINPAC began working to educate US lawmakers on avisa backlog in India, which within several years had helped lead to increased staff at theUS Embassy in India and funding for a new US Consulate inHyderabad.[6]
USINPAC also immediately became involved in political campaigns in the US. Financed largely by individual donors,[14] USINPAC donated a total $50,000 to seven American politicians in early 2003 for "their stand on immigration policy, relations with India and policies affecting Indian Americans in a post-September 11 scenario." Five of the seven candidates ended up winning their race.[10] USINPAC soon had liaisons with the India Caucus in US Congress,[10] and on February 13, 2003, USINPAC organized the first India Caucus Day onCapitol Hill, with talks held by politicians such asJoe Crowley,Joe Wilson,Ed Royce, andJim McDermott.[10] In July 2003, USINPAC organized a Capital Hill reception with theAmerican Jewish Committee and theAmerican Israel Public Affairs Committee, in what theNew York Times opined was a "small part of a larger trend of cooperation between Israeli and Indian interests" at large.[15]
On the issue of aid to Pakistan, USINPAC has from its founding advocated cutting funding to thePakistani government, instead arguing aid to Pakistan should come "via non-governmental organizations that support political and economic reform with the specific objective of increasing Pakistani economic integration with the international community of nations."[6] According to theAsia Times, USINPAC "put itself on the political map" in May 2003 "when it successfully lobbied for an amendment to the House's US$3 billion aid package forPakistan." The amendment, which was proposed byGary Ackerman of the India Caucus in the US Congress, called for "an end to US assistance until Pakistan stopped cross-border attacks in the disputed state ofJammu andKashmir and gave up weapons ofmass destruction."[10] While Ackerman withdrew the amendment after disputes,Asia Times writes "what is important to note is that Ackerman and the USINPAC were not making empty threats: they had the capability to push through the amendment, and theWhite House knew it."Eni Faleomavaega of the India Caucus in the US Congress instead pushed an alternate but similar amendment through, which among other points "ceased the transfer ofweapons of mass destruction, including any associated technologies, to any third country orterrorist organization."[10]
| "A defining moment for the Indian community in the US was theIndo-US nuclear deal underPresident George W Bush [which came into effect in 2008]. USINPAC, under the stewardship of Puri, was at the forefront lobbying for it." |
| —Economic Times (July 5, 2011)[3] |
USINPAC set up operations inNew Delhi in 2005.[1] From 2005 to 2008 USINPAC advocated for expanded cooperation on defense issues between the US and India.[6] Starting in 2005, for example,[1] USINPAC was closely involved in the passage of theU.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement,[7][16] playing a key role in getting it through Congress[7] three years later.[1] The agreement, first drafted by American and Indian politicians in 2005 and announced by US PresidentGeorge W. Bush in March 2006, would "end a moratorium on sales ofnuclear fuel and reactor components to India's civilian nuclear program."[14] Lobbying had "intensified" by June 2006,[17] as USINPAC worked with the Indian American Center for Public Awareness and the Indian American Forum for Political Education to ensure that "the 39 members of the India Caucus in the Senate and more than 180 members of the Caucus in theHouse of Representatives vote for the deal."[17] USINPAC supported the passage of the relatedHyde Act in 2006,[6] and theSection 123 Agreement passed in 2008,[1] allowing US-India cooperation in the civilian nuclear-energy trade.[6] According toThe New York Times, the agreement was hailed by officials as "historic" and "a centerpiece of American-Indian relations."[14]
By June 2006 USINPAC had contributed a total of over $200,000 to Congressional candidates, and had raised campaign money at nine fund-raisers and receptions since January of that year.[14] While USINPAC supports both Democratic and Republican candidates, it has maintained long alliances with politicians such asHillary Clinton, whose support was considered crucial by some to the success of the US-India 123 Agreement.[14] By 2006 USINPAC had praised Clinton's open stance onoutsourcing, stating on their website that "even though she was against outsourcing at the beginning of her political career, she has since changed her position and now maintains that offshoring brings as much economic value to the United States as to the country where services are outsourced, especially India."[18] TheWashington Post opined in September 2007 that "in just five years, USINPAC has become the most visible face of Indian American lobbying."[9]
TheIndia Post wrote in 2013 that "USINPAC has been active in promoting nuclear, defense, education, and trade relations between USA and India for the past decade."[19] In relation to US-India trade, USINPAC has provided expert testimony inCongressional hearings on the topic, and also conducted briefings with the Senate Foreign Affairs andHouse Foreign Affairs Committees.[2] USINPAC was a key proponent in 2013 behind the passage of new measure to expand theFBI's tracking categories of hate crimes.[20] In March 2013, Puri testified before the House Committee on Foreign Relations and advocated prioritizing Indian issues such as education, a STEM Teacher exchange, and the "export of gas to ease India’s energy difficulty."[19] Also that year, USINPAC denounced the arrest of Indian diplomatDevyani Khobragade and the manner it was conducted, calling it a "failure in diplomatic protocol."[21] Accused of making false statements on a visa application, Khobragade had been subjected to astrip search andcavity search by police.[22] In an interview, Puri called for her to be returned to India, and for US officials to treat the arrest with more awareness of public perception in India.[21]
USINPAC voiced disapproval of the controversialHouse Resolution 417 in April 2014. Proposed by Indian-Christian activistJohn Dayal in an attempt to influence theIndian election outcome, the resolution characterizedHinduism in a negative light, with Puri stating "it’s just not the job of the US Congress to tell Indians how to vote in their own election."[21] When asked about USINPAC's own stance on the elections, Puri reassured the press that "we [at USINPAC] have worked diligently to make sure there are no undue influences on the election, and the [chairman] of theHouse Foreign Relations Committee [Rep.Ed Royce (R-CA)] has assured us that they will stay out of the way."[21] AfterNarendra Modi was electedPrime Minister of India,[23] USINPAC spearheaded a campaign to schedule aJoint Session of Congress with Modi.[24][25] In September,Speaker of the HouseJohn Boehner invited Modi "to address a Joint Meeting of Congress after mid-term elections, at a time of his choosing," with signed notes of support from 100 bipartisan members of Congress.[23]
USINPAC supported grassroots campaigns behind theDomestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act and H.R. 2771 (the Expedite Our Economy Act) in 2014, as well as the Senate companion bill S. 2494 (Natural Gas Export Promotion Act). The bills were intended to change current law and enable US exports to India, includingshale gas. During a USINPAC-organised legislative briefing, the bills met with support from politicians such asTed Poe.[8]The Economist referred to USINPAC in May 2015 as "the main political lobby for Indian-Americans in Washington."[26] USINPAC is involved with the annual US business delegation to India to meet with Indian politicians, businesspeople, and newsmakers.[5] In June 2015 USINPAC hosted a delegation led byJupally Krishna Rao from the newly formed Indian state ofTelangana, arranging meetings between American business interests and the delegation "for the purpose of scouting partners and investments."[27] As of November 2015,United States Senate candidates supported by USINPAC included politicians such asAruna Miller,Ravi Sangisetty,Manan Trivedi,Raja Krishnamoorthi,Aneesh Chopra,Vivek Kundra,Jay Goyal, andKesha Ram among others.[4]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 "Indian Americans Lobby for U.S. Nuclear Deal" : Sanjay Puri on NPR (June 19, 2006) |
As abipartisanpolitical action committee,[3] USINPAC focuses on diverse issues relevant to theIndian-American community at large. Particular issues of note have related tolegal immigration,counter-terrorism,business relations,global health,religious freedom,education, and US-India trade.[2] USINPAC has also donated significant funding to the political campaigns ofDemocratic andRepublican politicians,[3] and in 2009, Puri asserted to the press the USINPAC wanted to ensure that Indian-American candidates "don’t have to think twice about running because they didn't get the financial resources."[28] USINPAC's stance against giving aid directly to thegovernment of Pakistan has at times led to accusations of an anti-Pakistan bias, as have USINPAC's periodic collaborations with organizations such as theAmerican Jewish Committee.[9] USINPAC has assured the press their stance is not the result of a religious or cultural bias, clarifying that the group is "not anti-Pakistan, but in theKashmir and other sub-continental issues, the group looks after the Indian interests."[10] Among other organizations, USINPAC has worked closely with theAmerican Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on issues, often jointly lobbying Congress in support of minority interests.[10]
The following are key members of the executive committee as of 2015:[11]
