Friends of Wales Caucus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Friends of Wales Caucus
|
|
|---|---|
 |
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| Co-chairs | Morgan Griffith (VA-9; R) Lloyd Doggett (TX-37; D) |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Colors | Red |
| Seats in the House |
7 / 435
|
| Seats in the Senate |
2 / 100
|
The Friends of Wales Caucus is a special group of lawmakers in the United States. It includes people in the US Government, Senate, and House of Representatives. These lawmakers have Welsh family roots or are simply interested in Wales.
This group helps build stronger connections between the United States and Wales. It is currently led by two representatives: Morgan Griffith from the Republican Party and Lloyd Doggett from the Democratic Party. The group was started to help connect the two countries. This is important because many American companies are based in Wales. Also, many parts of the US, like Utah and Pennsylvania, have strong Welsh heritage. The group works closely with the Welsh Government.
Contents
How the Friends of Wales Caucus Started
The Friends of Wales Caucus began in 2014. It was started by Representative Morgan Griffith from Virginia. He got the idea after being invited to join a similar group for Scotland. He wondered, "What about Wales?"
Morgan Griffith represents an area known for coal mining. Many Welsh miners moved to the United States long ago to work in these areas. Griffith has said he is "proud of my own Welsh heritage." He also feels a strong connection between his home district and Wales.
Building Connections with Global Welsh
In recent years, the group has worked with an organization called Global Welsh. This group helps connect people of Welsh heritage all over the world. Global Welsh has important branches in cities like Chicago and New York City. They help people network for business and share Welsh culture.
Visits from Welsh Leaders
In 2014, the First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, visited Washington, D.C., and New York. A First Minister is like the leader of the Welsh government. During his visit, he met with the Friends of Wales Caucus. He also attended cultural events and visited the New York Stock Exchange.
Carwyn Jones visited the US again in 2015 for Saint David's Day. He met with the Caucus once more.
First Congressional Trip to Wales
In 2015, five members of the US Congress visited Wales. This was the first time a US congressional group had ever visited Wales. They went to Swansea University's new Bay Campus. The visitors included Morgan Griffith, Kenny Marchant, Dan Kildee, and Matt Cartwright.
Their visit focused on creating links between universities. For example, they looked at connections between Swansea University's engineering school and Virginia Tech's engineering school. They also learned about Swansea University's American Studies course.
New Leadership in the Caucus
In 2025, Congressman Lloyd Doggett became the Democratic co-chair of the caucus. He now works alongside Morgan Griffith, who is the Republican co-chair.
What the Caucus Aims to Do
The Friends of Wales Caucus holds regular events. These events teach members of Congress about Welsh culture and history. They also share information about trade, tourism, and business chances in Wales.
Businesses that often join these events are in areas like aerospace and engineering. They also include companies in cybersecurity and the car industry.
Annual Celebrations
The group holds a special event every year for Saint David's Day. This day celebrates the patron saint of Wales, Saint David. It is a big cultural event in Wales.
The Saint David's Day celebration in the US is attended by important people. These include the British Ambassador and US lawmakers. Representatives from the British and Welsh governments also attend. Business leaders are often there too. Recent Welsh First Ministers, Carwyn Jones and Mark Drakeford, have also attended.
The event often features Welsh traditions. Guests can enjoy fish and chips and Welsh whisky. There is also traditional Welsh music, including choirs and harpists. Another group, the College of William & Mary, also has a Friends of Wales chapter. Their library has a large collection of Welsh poetry.
Who Can Join the Caucus
You do not have to have Welsh family to join the Friends of Wales Caucus. Any member of Congress who is interested in Wales can become a member.
The group gets support from the Welsh Government trade mission in North America. It is also supported by the British Embassy in Washington.
Members of the Caucus
| House of Representatives | ||
| Representative | Party | State |
|---|---|---|
| Morgan Griffith (chair) | Republican | Virginia |
| Steve Cohen | Democratic | Tennessee |
| Ron Kind | Democratic | Wisconsin |
| Doug Lamborn | Republican | Colorado |
| Ted Lieu | Democratic | California |
| Jamie Raskin | Democratic | Maryland |
| Roger Williams | Republican | Texas |
| Senate | ||
| Senator | Party | State |
| John Boozman | Republican | Arkansas |
| Joe Manchin | Independent | West Virginia |
| Executive Branch | ||
| Secretary | Party | Office |
| None | n/a | n/a |
Related Topics
- Foreign relations of Wales
- List of Welsh Americans
- Welsh Americans
- Welsh Tract
- Welsh settlement in the Americas
- Wales and the United States
- Welsh Centre for International Affairs
- Politics of Wales
- Americans in the United Kingdom
- Friends of Ireland
- U.K. Caucus
- Friends of Scotland Caucus
