Washington, DC - On July 24, eight British Members of Parliament (MPs) will begin the 40th annual British American Parliamentary Group (BAPG) exchange program in Washington, D.C. The MPs will meet with Republican and Democratic members of Congress before traveling to their counterpart U.S. Representatives’ home districts. The BAPG exchange has been exchanging ideas since 1977 under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. These collaborations strengthen the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom that is necessary to solve global challenges.

This year, participating MPs representing the Conservative Party, Labour Party, and the Scottish National Party include Suella Fernandes, Rehman Chishti, David Morris, Kerry McCarthy, Michelle Donelan, Gerald Jones, Holly Lynch, and Tommy Sheppard. They will experience U.S. regional diversity in Nebraska, Arkansas, California, Alabama, New York, and Arizona. The MPs will network with leaders and staffers, and discuss significant domestic and foreign policy issues at the federal, state, and local levels. The program concludes with a final meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.