The discussion was enriched by two outstanding guests: Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, Democrat from Michigan, and Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Republican from Virginia. As long-time former members of the US Congress, they provided the audience with valuable insights into the US political landscape and the impact of the US election on international relations and Europe.
Brenda Lawrence, who represented Michigan's 14th Congressional District from 2015 to 2023, shared her experiences as Co-Chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus and Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. She spoke about the growing polarisation in US politics and the challenges facing the US and its partners in an increasingly divided world. Bob Goodlatte, who represented Virginia's 6th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives from 1993 to 2019, shed light on the impact of the elections on international politics, particularly in relation to issues such as technology policy and international trade relations. He gave an insight into the role of the US Congress in shaping foreign policy and explained how the election results could impact transatlantic co-operation.
The event was organised by AmerikaHaus NRW e.V., in cooperation with the Bonn Academy for Research and Teaching of Practical Politics (BAPP), the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS) and the North American Studies Program of the University of Bonn in collaboration with the US Association of Former Members of Congress. Special thanks go to all co-operation partners. We would also like to thank the US Embassy in Berlin for its kind support of the event.